Perfect
by DXRULES103
Summary: Bruce's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have. How long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after. EDITED
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't anything. But certain characters such as Anne are of my own creation.

**A/N:** I have come upon new inspiration. The latest chapter will take a long while for it to finally be posted because I am determined to rewrite and edit all the chapters in most of my stories, but this is my number one priority. [Also, I've made some changes to the history of some characters and to the plot, but none are too drastic. I hope you enjoy this!]

**Summary: **Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Well, Fate knew that, but they didn't. Both are haunted by their pasts. Both are dealing with what their past made them. Yet perfect isn't easy to get or to have. How long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? (Post The Dark Knight-about five months.) [Once The Dark Knight: Rising comes out, you might see elements of the movie in this story.]

"Calm down, Anne. Please, just calm your shit down. Everything is going to be just _dandy_. I know it. Breathe! Breathe… Oh my God, I don't think I can breathe."

Anne Vera looked at her reflection through the bathroom mirror. She inspected her attire: long blue-gray dress, a simple cross around her neck, a bracelet around her left wrist, and simple black flats. She next checked out the makeup she put on herself. It was nothing special. Just a few hints of blush, eyeliner, and lip gloss to make her lips look fuller.

_Makeup sucks_, she thought to herself. She never liked wearing makeup. She believed that makeup was for two types of people: women who were smart enough and knew how to use makeup wisely, and women who wanted to look pretty when they really weren't. _I'm neither. _She only put on makeup because her friends peer pressured her into doing it. She didn't want to put herself out as a go-getter. She just wanted to remain as herself; to remain as Anne Vera.

She touched the birthmark on the right side of her neck. She remembered her mother telling her that some people believed that a birthmark was an indicator of fatal wound someone received in their past life. _Someone definitely shot me. _Knowing that she had about ten birthmarks, she decided that someone or some people had shot her or stabbed her in her past life multiple times. Anne looked into her own green eyes, down to her slightly sharp nose, and back to her sharp cheekbones.

Closing her eyes, she heard a low, creepy voice mutter, "You're so pretty." She slapped herself on her left cheek. She wasn't going to go into one of those moods again. She was stronger than that. _I can always hear…_ No. It wasn't the time to let her insecurities get the better of her. She had to think positive. Or at least try to.

_I look alright,_ she thought to herself, amused. Sure, she wasn't the most beautiful person to ever grace the planet, but she didn't mind. She would take whatever God gave her. "Sharp everything," she muttered slightly. _Sharp wit, sharp eyes, sharp nose, etc. _

Tonight was supposedly one of the most important nights in her life. Or so her friends and owner of the gallery told her. "This will change your world," she mocked slightly; imitating one of her friend's voices. _Not! _She disagreed with all her might about doing an exhibition of her artwork. All she wanted was to let her artwork be what they were. _Sub-par_.

But alas, the gallery owner of Purple Metro disagreed. He said that she should invest in her artwork, and continue painting. _Blah, blah, blah. _Painting was supposed to be her hobby. Nothing more. Now some man, thanks to the suggestion of one of her girlfriends, wanted her to prostitute her paintings to the public.

"Maybe that's a bit harsh," she told her reflection. _But still…Purple Metro? _"What kind of hotel name is Purple Metro? Sounds a bit stupid to me."

She picked up a comb from a drawer, and proceeded to comb her long and layered black hair. What could she do with it? _Nothing_. She had what people called to be "Asian hair." Her hair could not be fixed. It just wanted to stay straight. Did she try to curl it? Yes. _Nothing. _Did she try to put it in a bun or something? Yes. _Still, nothing._ It was a useless endeavor. As far as she could tell, no machine nor hair product could make her hair being something other than straight.

_Beauty kills. _She thought dressing up sucked. It took too much work. Why did she have to dress up to go to some exhibition that she didn't want to be part of? Anne stared off into space, and then sighed. She couldn't lie to herself. Some part of her wanted to have this exhibition. Some part of her wanted to show off her paintings. _But why? _She didn't know. All she knew was that she was nervous. She was surprised that she wasn't shaking. _Yet._

"Breathe…" she whispered.

She felt her insides shake. This was a once and a lifetime opportunity. She wanted to freak out. She wanted to explode because she couldn't imagine how damn stupid and lucky she is for having her artwork exhibited at a highly respected art gallery in Gotham. It just couldn't be real. _It must be dream. I should like pinch myself. _She did, but all she got was pain. _Talk about more pressure I'm giving myself._

She looked at the clock hanging over her mirror. **6:40.** "Oh, great. I've got thirty minutes." She left the bathroom, and walked to the small table that stood beside the couch. Grabbing the purse that was upon it, she grabbed her keys from the key holder beside her door, and walked out her friend's apartment.

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Alfred Pennyworth watched as his charge Bruce Wayne put on his Kevlar suit as well as the entire accessories that went along with being Batman. He noticed all the scars that the young man had acquired over the months. _They are all not just physical. _"But mental," he mouthed to himself. His concern over his charge's safety increased with each night he would go out being what he was: a vigilante.

"Are you going to the gala, Master Bruce?" he asked. _Another party to show off your façade. _He knew that it was only for the best. The young master knew what he was doing, or at least was good enough to pull him along for the ride. But parties are parties, and Alfred knew that Bruce didn't enjoy them at all.

Bruce nodded as he colored his eyelid with black charcoal, "Yes, I am. I was personally invited by the owner himself." He raised an eyebrow at the thought of going to another "party" but it didn't matter. The Bruce Wayne he showed the public had to be there. _There are no breaks. _

Alfred was always concerned about the psychological repercussions that he knew Bruce was suffering from due to seeing his parents murdered in front of him. It didn't help that the young man was off gallivanting as a pompous playboy in the day and as a vigilante at night. He could not help but be there for the man as a support system. _Heaven knows that he won't rest no matter what I tell him._

"Do you think you will make it, sir?" he asked.

Bruce shrugged nonchalantly, "I will make it. Crime seems to be sleeping tonight." _For once. Not sure that will last long._

"Seems, sir?" Alfred looked Bruce deep in his eyes. He too thought the same thing. As cliche as it sounded – crime doesn't sleep.

"I'll check the Narrows and so on. Wait for me at seven so we can go." Bruce replied as he grabbed the cowl and put it on.

And with that, he jumped out into the dark of Gotham.

Alfred watched as Batman flew off into the night. He looked down at his shoes, back to where Bruce jumped off, and then wiped his brow. _Nothing has ever been the same. Nothing has been normal as one would call normal. _But things were even more different now. Bruce was even more reclusive thanks to Rachel's passing. Nothing has been the same since the Joker ran amuck on the streets of Gotham. Batman was a wanted man, but despite it all he still prowled the streets because that was his purpose in life.

But that didn't stop him from worrying. He loved his charge like a son. He would never stop worrying.

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Anne checked her watch again. She was going to be late. She knew she would be. _Why did Louisa force me into sleeping in her apartment? Didn't she know that the Narrows wasn't particularly close to Purple Metro?_ Her frustrations grew when she looked around her. Everything was dark. The noise wasn't soothing either. It was all just plain eerie.

The Narrows were a part of Gotham that was always filled with trouble and mayhem. The area has never been the same since that mysterious gas came into the city. _Mob bosses, serial killers, low key criminals… _She shuddered at the thought of those types of people. The thing was – nothing has ever been the same in Gotham. The city itself was going down a dangerous path. Crime was rising, and one of those who were lost was probably the most important man in the city: Harvey Dent. Batman, whom intrigued many-, was the man who killed him. _Or so the press says…One can never know. _He was now hated and chased by the police for such a crime.

Everything was just different.

She tugged at her coat and pulled her purse further up her arm. A shiver ran up her spine. The weather was stark. She felt nothing but cold. More shivers ran up her back. It didn't help that she was walking alone in The Narrows which wasn't the happiest place in the world. All she had to do to keep herself safe was to be aware, and to make sure she kept a fast past. She had to make it to the train station; the rail system that connected everyone from one side Gotham to the other.

"Hello, prettttty."

Anne's eyes widened at the sudden voice. Not only did the voice come out of nowhere, but it also sounded creepy and it held the word she hated to be called. _Pretty. _It didn't sound good to her at all. Her instincts told her that it was a sound of trouble. She forced her legs to keep on walking. She had to keep on walking. She knew that she mustn't panic or else she would really be in trouble. _It was nothing. It was nothing._

The voice didn't go away though. Instead it kept on saying, "Hey, pretty. Preeeettty!" To Anne's horror the voice was different from the first, and it seemed closer than it was before. Warning signals alerted Anne immediately. There were definitely two of them now. _This is not good. _She started to quicken her pace a little more.

"Hey! Hey, Pretty! Why don't you tell us your name?"

The voice terrified Anne. She knew that type of voice. She knew what kind of intent the bearer of the voice had. **"You're so pretty…" **The recognition of the horrible intent made her freeze. She felt the panic rise within her. "Goddamn it," she hissed. "Move legs. Move!" But they refused. She was stuck.

She heard footsteps, and they were getting closer. _My luck couldn't get any better. _Here she was in a blue-gray dress with a silk jacket covering her. Not only was she walking **alone** in the Narrows. No wonder someone called her pretty. But still, the word itself terrified her. _If only I was wearing like jeans or something…_

"Say, pretty, why don't you tell us your name?"

Anne felt her heart race in terror. She could feel the sweat dripping down her body as the hairs of her arm stood up. She was getting colder; so much colder. The urge to move went away. She could now see them clearly. There weren't two men as the voices would make it out to be. No, there were five of them. _Five! Oh fuck! _She resisted the action of clutching herself. _I really don't want to be gang-raped_, she thought to herself.

One of the men came up in front of her; just a few steps away from her. He was chubby with no neck, and a Hitler like mustache. Two other men came upon her side. They were skinner than the man in front of her, but they were bald and she could see that their arms were hairy. She could only guess that the rest of the Horrible Five were right behind her.

"Pretty, pretty, pretty...," the man in front of her cooed horribly. He was so ghastly that Anne felt like she would gag. _I should have stuck to those Karate classes…. Or was it Tae Kwon Do. _Through the corner of her eye, she could see her would-be-assailant slash ugly-not-wanted-annoy-er stepping closer and closer towards. She shook her right arm and felt her only weapon fall into her hands.

Pepper spray.

The man to her right was getting closer and clearer, and to her chagrin she could see him pull a pocket knife from out of his pants. _Not good._ "I want some of you pretty," they all said. _I have a feeling that I'm not going to like that word even more than I already do. _She braced herself as the man on her left started to walk towards her. The guy on the right, on the other hand, was only a step away from her. She decided to do what her brain told her to do. She had no time to really think if her next move was the smartest thing because the certain situation she was in wasn't so pleasant.

She needed to get out of it. She needed to get out of it quickly. So as fast as she could muster, Anne sprayed the guy on her right whom she quickly nicknamed "Skinny" straight between the eyes. "Skinny" cried out in shock and pain; scampered back. The guy on her left who she called "Baldy" ran straight for her. Anne surged in movement and kicked "Skinny" where it hurt; right in the groin. She then game "Baldy" his own share of pepper spray.

There were only three left now so Anne tried to run to the stair case that "Skinny" had been hiding near. As she did that she tried to get her cell phone, but to no use. The two men behind her had grabbed her before she could do anything else. Her purse, her weapon of choice – the pepper spray, and her mobile phone fell to the ground.

"That wasn't such a nice thing to do, pretty…" one of the men who held her said with a harsh hiss. "Hiss-y" hissed again. She cringed. _Get a breath mint._ She couldn't believe that she thought that. Here she was in an obviously deadly situation and all she could think about is that "Hissy" had one of the worst breaths that she had ever smelled. _Wonderful. I know I'm scared, but God, Anne, you are insane. _

"What should we do with her?" said the other man. _Nothing_, Anne quickly thought to herself. "I don't know about you, but I sure would like a lovely kiss." 'Hissy' replied. Hearing this made Anne brace herself for a horrible feeling; the feeling of being kissed by a piece of scum like "Hissy."

Suddenly the three of them were forcefully pushed to the ground. This made Anne grunt at the hit. The second man who was behind her got up first and went to check out who hit them. Anne, who fell along with the hit, slowly and hesitantly moved to get back on her feet. She felt that someone was trying to grab her leg so she just kicked as hard as she could at whoever grabbed her. This made the mysterious hand let go which made her quite glad.

Finally, she was able to get back up. _What hit us?_ But then again, she didn't really care. What scared her the most was that she couldn't hear a damn thing. She fell back to her knees slowly and quickly picked up her fallen belongings. She blinked as the sweat fell, and thanked Jesus. _Goddamn, I hope the dress doesn't look bad. It would really suck having to go to that party looking like I just got mugged. Or worse. _The thought made her shiver. She found her cell phone, and quickly pressed hard on the number two button which was the speed dial for the police. Next she grabbed the pepper spray, and got up again after hearing a loud thud. It sounded like someone fell hard on the ground. She took a deep breath. Somebody either saved her for good or worse, for himself.

She heard footsteps behind her. They sounded so different from the Horrible Five. No, these footsteps sounded heavier, and more certain. Anne gripped the pepper spray tightly. Whoever was behind her was getting closer. _Too close!_

She swerved to spray the mysterious attacker or savior, but couldn't. Before she could even dare to press the button that would unleash the pepper spray, her arm was caught. Her wrist was instantly taken control of. _Let go of me you bastard. _The fear turned to anger, but quickly disappeared when she saw a familiar symbol. _A bat._ She let her eyes go to her wrist. The hand that was holding it was covered in black; like a black glove. She raised her eye further up and knew that everything was real.

This was Batman! It was the man that everyone talked about whether in love, in fear, in admiration, in hate, in disgust, or in confusion. There he was; in front of her. She was never entirely sure what to make of The Batman because she would hear so many different reports about him. _Five men killed that night when the Joker was caught. Some of those men were police officers... But... It doesn't make sense. You saved the city so many times. Why kill people? _It was true. It didn't make any sense to her. So it is safe to say that she would like to give him the benefit of the doubt, and this only reinforced the thought. She always held the belief that Batman was innocent. Somehow she knew. And now there he was. He was real. She didn't know whether to feel excited or anxious.

Anne's breath caught in her throat. She looked into The Dark Knight's eyes; curiosity overwhelming her. The eyes of the Caped Crusader were almost brown, but they looked a lot more hazel then coffee colored. _So intense…so shadowed…_ Her eyes refused to look away from him. She was captivated.

A grunt was made behind her. Anne frowned slightly. She knew that grunt. It was Hissy's. She ripped her arm out of Batman's grasp and turned to see Hissy on all fours just two steps away from her. She quickly gave him two doses of pepper spray. Hissy screamed. She smirked slightly, turned to say something to her Good Samaritan, but found him gone.

Sounds of siren suddenly filled her ears. Anne looked around to find all the men wasted on the ground. She looked at where Batman had once been and smiled slightly.

"Thanks."

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**TBC**

**End-note: **Well, all the edits have been made. I hope you all still enjoy what you read! Review! Read the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers: **I don't own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N: **A few more changes have been made. I hope you all enjoy. Review if you want to! Thanks.

**Summary: ** Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Well, Fate knew that, but they didn't. Both are haunted by their pasts. Both are dealing with what their past made them. Yet perfect isn't easy to get or to have. How long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? (Post The Dark Knight about five months.)

Alfred checked his watch. **7:20.** Master Bruce was late. He shook his head a little. It wasn't surprising to him at all. He kind of expected this. When Bruce puts that cowl on no one can ever be too sure. Batman was the protector of Gotham. Somebody must need his help. _But what about his needs? Who will help you Bruce?_

But no matter how fast the nights pass, no matter how much his worry keeps growing; Bruce refuses to get out of his grieving and move on. _Or even try to move on. _He was in the perpetual state of never-ending sadness. He was grieving for the city, for his parents, and now the loss of Rachel.

It was her death that put him deeper into that mournful abyss that his parents' deaths created. She was his best friend and the woman he was in love with. Her death was the turning point in Bruce's life as Batman. The young man, caught up in another blow to his heart and soul, retreated into his persona. He rarely showed his true self anymore. It was only the playboy millionaire or the vigilante. Two persona he created and not the person he really is. No, it hurt too much to be who he really was. _And if I had shown him that letter…_ No, it would destroy Bruce, he thought. He didn't want his charge to further bury himself into his persona even more than he already had. It took Alfred much digging to get even a hint of the man he knew was real. It was like watching a train wreck about to happen and not having the power to stop it.

He wished that the young man could find some sort of happiness left, but things sure seemed hopeless at the moment. As per usual, the man was stuck on the death of his beloved parents, and now added to the mix was the death of Rachel. Wayne never talked to him about her. His chare was still hung up over her. It wasn't hard to see that whenever he would go into a daydream like state or have a nightmare that it would be about Rachel.

Alfred wished that he could help him move on with his life. He still bore that slight hope that maybe the younger man would find something worth living. It was obvious that he had something to fight for. But he didn't have anything to live for. Pennyworth so wanted Wayne to live rather than just fight. But the problem was that Bruce couldn't be talked to, and that gave him the most worry.

A soft sound came from behind him which was followed by two strong steps on the floor. He knew that sound well enough to not be surprised. "I see you finished your rounds," he remarked, turning to greet Bruce who was already dressed in his high class Armani suit.

Bruce fixed his tie with an absent nod. He looked like there was something else on his mind. _Two things: Rachel and his parents, _the butler mused. He looked at him curiously. He noticed the dried sweat on the boy's neck, and the new wound on his arm.

Bruce shrugged it off and pulled his sleeves down, successfully covering up the newly acquired wound. "Yes, not that much for tonight. Am I late?" he asked which made Alfred chuckle. He looked at his elder and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm late."

But that really wasn't his concern. His mind was on something entirely different. All he was thinking about was that woman he saved back in the Narrows. He couldn't get the look of her eyes staring into his own out of his head. There was something about her. He just didn't know what.

He didn't get that good of a look at her. He only had an aerial view of her before he helped her. From that perspective, he could see that she was sort of capable of handling herself for she knew what to do when people act like those men did. But it was still five to one. She, by herself, could not be enough. The only thing he really caught was her long black hair, her slightly sharp nose, and her emerald orbs. They were eyes that seemed to captivate him when he stared into them.

Bruce was surprised. How could another woman get his attention? _Rachel… _The mere thought of the woman he loved and lost made him feel sick. His regret for not telling her how much he loved her came up his mind. _If only…_ The uncertainty went into his body and sent shivers down his spine. It had only been around five to six months since she died. How could he be looking at another woman? His heart was Rachel's and hers alone.

_Yet I have not given that stranger my heart, he thought. _Then what was it? Why was he being pulled towards that woman in the Narrows? He didn't know her. He didn't talk to her. It wasn't logical to be thinking and feeling so strangely about a woman he only interacted per se for a course of five to ten minutes. His rational mind just couldn't put the pieces together. It didn't make any sense.

"Master Wayne." Alfred's voice said, successfully Bruce out of his thoughts. "I think this is the time to keep up with your appearances."

Bruce nodded. His thoughts were filled with emerald eyes and Rachel's hair. He sighed softly to himself. For the moment, he would have to let his concerns go. He had a part to play now.

"Let's go"

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An hour past six forty passed when Anne finally arrived at Purple Metro. _I'm late. Great, I'm late. People better not be ragging on me or I swear… _There were two reasons why she was late. Those two reasons were caused by two things: being attacked and then being rescued by Batman.

_Batman… Batman… _She was so surprised and intrigued by the mysterious being that she always wanted to learn more about him. _So much more. _She wondered if she would ever see him again. But she knew that was highly unlikely. She knew that she refused to get in a situation like what happened earlier ever again. And yet, the feel of Batman's glove on her wrist lingered.

"That's stupid…" she muttered to herself. What was the point of thinking about some masked vigilante? She knew almost entirely nothing about Batman. She knew only what her best friend Sam told her. Arrived on the scene to stop the mob then saved the city for a halogen fiend and then from the crazy Joker. _Yeah, hella stupid._ The only reason she was hung up over Batman had to be because that caped crusader saved her. _Yeah that's the reason_, she thought.

But the intensity in Batman's aura couldn't be shaken from her memory. She was so stricken by the mere appearance of the mysterious vigilante that she had stood frozen in her spot in the Narrows stroking her wrist. With a mixture of trauma from the incident, fear, and adrenaline, a sort of fascination for her dark hero rose from within her that she couldn't help but have an absent minded stare at where he touched her.

_Thank God Commissioner Gordon arrived on the scene. _At first she found it strange that the highest officer in Gotham was attending the call of the crime almost committed against her. Didn't he have important things to do rather than getting to the crime scene and interviewing her? She wasn't surprised though to see how much weight he carried upon himself. Commissioner Gordon was a slightly tall man, had gray-black hair, and wore glasses. It was he who came up to her to ask her a few questions about what happened.

Sure there were other police officers at the scene. They were walking back and forth; looking for evidence. Others were knocking on doors trying to figure out if anyone had witnessed the crime or heard anything. And five officers took the job of arresting the five assailants. But Anne's attention was never on those who tried to help her and to those who wanted to solve the situation. She was still thinking about who saved her: The Batman.

"Ma'am…" said a calm, gruff voice. Anne didn't respond. She was in shock. "Ma'am. I know you've been through a rough night…" She felt a soft touch on her shoulder and tried to move the hand away with a shrug, but to no use for the mysterious person's grip was strong but gentle. "Listen to me, ma'am. It's over. You're safe."

_Safe? _"You're safe, ma'am. I mean you no harm." The voice held such kindness and strength that Anne's attention on Batman was replaced by the man in front of her. And from that moment on she was smitten with him. Not in the romantic way, but a familial way. She had recognized him instantly. Here was the man that everyone in Gotham knew to be the one true good cop.

All she could do was smile at him.

_Luckily he was also kind enough to let me give me a more thorough statement tomorrow. _Anne smiled at the lack of reporters. She was relieved that none of them found out about what happened to her a few minutes ago. It also pleased her that she wasn't gaining unwanted fame. She didn't want to be one of those people who were plagued by the paparazzi day in and day out. She believed in sustaining her privacy.

"Annie!"

Anne resisted the instinct to scowl at that name. _Annie…Annie…Annie… Ugh. _She was about ready to fling a middle finger at whoever called her that, but was prevented from doing so when she was engulfed in someone's skinny arms. She didn't respond to the hug until she saw her familiar short brown haired friend Lisa Bell. Pushing her friend from her, she admonished slightly, "I thought I told you not to call me Annie, Lisa!"

The narrow faced Lisa merely grinned; her hazel eyes twinkling. "I just love seeing your face contort with disgust," she replied with a soft giggle. "I just don't understand why you don't like that name. It's just adding an 'I' to the picture."

_You always did like pushing buttons no matter the consequences… _She knew Lisa was the type of woman that got her feelings hurt easily, but didn't see how other people's feelings could get hurt with just as much ease. Lisa was sensitive woman about herself, but insensitive about other people. It didn't help that she also had that obsessive and compulsive personality.

She was a big girl though; a big girl with frightening skinny arms. She definitely wouldn't be called up for a photo shoot for Glam! Magazine. She was a plus size girl which influenced her insecurity. But thanks to her friends, she slowly gained confidence in herself. After all, everyone couldn't deny that she had flawless copper skin thanks to the Indian blood she had within her.

"I agree with you partly," Anne said with a soft looking smile. She knew that her friend understood how callous she could be when dealing with a dislike-able joke. But she would not reveal that part of herself; that part of her being where she would just go cold to protect herself from any intrusion. No, she would remain genial after all she knew that Lisa didn't mean her any harm. "It's just an 'I', but I think Anne is perfectly fine."

Lisa pouted for a second before she threw her hands up in mock surrender. "Fine," she scoffed jokingly, "Party pooper."

"Speaking of party," Anne asked; trying to make her friend feel better, "How has it been so far?" She didn't want to let the subject of her hated nickname to stay its wanted course for much longer. So she instead turned the conversation to an old silly joke of theirs. "Or should I say: Gathering of inquiring minds looking for that right instigator of imagination?" she questioned with an inquisitive voice.

This made Lisa laugh; teeth clattering and everything. "It's a party alright," she replied with a fun sparkle in her eyes. "But that gathering of inquiring minds looking for the right instigator of imagination is next week."

_What we are talking about doesn't make sense._ But she knew it amused Lisa so she wasn't going to kill her friend's fun. "If not for paintings…. Least of all my paintings," Anne said with a raised eyebrow. "Then what is the gala for next week?"

Lisa's hazel eyes shined in enjoyment. "For the comic book convention!"

_Wow. _Anne couldn't help but laugh along with her friend after hearing that statement. So she decided to give the brunette another kind hug, but Lisa instead grabbed her hand and brought her to a nearby table with the number 29 on it. The hazel eyed girl looked around the big room excitedly.

"Let's see the who's who…" she said with so much interest.

Anne frowned. This was another thing she disliked. She paid no interest in gossip or celebrity. She bore no positive feelings toward the bunch, and she knew that those feelings wouldn't change. _But you Lisa… _Lisa, on the other hand, loved that kind of stuff. She thrived on gossip and had a subscription to all the magazines concerning any celebrity.

"Why?" Vera asked; rolling her eyes. "The rich and the famous never get along with me." _God knows I don't get along with their politics least of all their personalities._

"C'mon… You don't mean that." Lisa said in disbelief. Her hands were shaking. This was a sign of her being quite confused.

_I've told you this a thousand times._ Anne calmly said,"Ah contra-ire, they're just snobs." She looked around the room. There were some people she knew. There were some people she didn't know. There were also some people she didn't have a care for.

But Lisa wouldn't let up. "All of them?" she questioned. "I doubt you met all the wealthy people in the world."

"Doesn't matter. I've got my mind made up." Anne insisted. She already was getting tired of this conversation. She sensed the lowering of her friend's fun so she decided to turn the conversation around to something more light-hearted. "Besides, I think I don't find any wealthy person that appealing. Well, except for U2, Daniel Craig, and Johnny Depp."

The light in Lisa's hazel eyes shined brighter; the fun restoring itself within her. "What about our boy the Prince of Gotham?" she teasingly asked.

_I cannot believe you just suggested that. _Anne's eyes widened in horror. If there was one person she couldn't help but abhor in the city of Gotham, that person was Bruce Wayne. She more than didn't care about him, she despised him. She thought that Wayne was a playboy who wasted away his money when he could be doing some good for the people of Gotham. He was nothing more than a pathetic billionaire trying to act like he was bigger than he really is.

"Bruce 'Freeloader' Wayne?" Anne said in surprise and disgust. "Nuh-uh, no, especially him. Ew. Not him."

"I hear you have a problem with Wayne."

Anne and Lisa recognized that voice. They both turned to the lady called Christine Buell. It was she who organized the whole exhibition. She was the one that got Anne connected to it all. She was of Irish descent with boy cut blond hair and gray eyes. Her figure was that of an athlete for everything about her was toned well which was all in part of genes she inherited and how well she exercised to keep in shape.

"What did he do to you?" she asked with a mischievous smile of her own. "Couldn't lift up the goods?"

Anne smiled uncomfortably. Anything regarding sexuality unnerved her. It made her feel sick and uncomfortable. She never dared to have a boyfriend, to kiss someone, to have sex. _All because of… _She pushed those thoughts away. It was safe to say that she didn't like anything regarding sex concerning her. Plus, she didn't even want to dare even think about having a night alone with Wayne. She knew he went out with a new girl every night. _I'm surprised no one has announced that he has an STD or something. _But despite how she felt, she had to stay strong. She didn't want her friends to worry…or to know too much information about her past.

"Among other things," she finally said after much thinking.

She made the decision to laugh to cover up the uncertainty in her voice. Sometimes that's what she had to do. She loved her friends and trusted them with her life, but she couldn't always reveal her inner workings to them. So she would laugh and smile because people always saw her as the smiling woman. And luckily for her, Christine and Lisa felt like laughing as well. So the three just laughed and laughed together; enjoying the night and their friendship.

"Come! Let's revel in this miraculous night!" Lisa cried.

Anne wanted to sigh. She already felt like going home. _Let's hope this night turns out to be a good one._

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox…jfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjf….xo

The time flew by quickly for the Anne and those who attended the exhibition of her artwork. When Anne decided to check the clock, it was now nine thirty in the evening. _I should be in bed_, she mused. Instead, she was showing a few people one of her paintings. It was one of those paintings that she made while in a sleepy mood. It wasn't her best by no means, but her friends convinced her (_more like forced me_) into showing it off.

"Now this piece… I just don't understand it," said a voice from behind her.

Anne's eyes narrowed. But she quickly resumed the facade of pure ignorance and innocence. She turned around to see the person who made the comment, and to her great disappointment and fury she saw the infamous Bruce Wayne's face along with some skinny bitch he decided to bring along hanging on his arm like he was her sugar daddy.

Wayne was dressed up in a nice suit that she suspected was tailored just for him. His hair was slightly slicked back thanks to either an immense amount of water or gel, and his tie was an obnoxious shade red. The lady beside him was skinny beyond skinny. She presumed that the girl was some anorexic model. The sight of the two of them made her throw up just a little.

"Why's that?" asked the blond one.

Anne had to hold herself back from laughing once she heard the blond lady's voice. It was so funny to hear. The voice was like a Valley Girl, but what made it funnier was that the lady's accent sounded foreign; possibly as foreign as somebody from France. _A French Valley Girl! Priceless. _She wasn't surprised that this blond lady would be one of those people that he likes to go after. _Dumb hoes for a dumb man… _

She didn't want to reveal herself to the pair just yet so she decided to move to the side; pretending to be a fellow visitor. _Let's see how much more shit he'll be talking. _She couldn't wait to surprise him and have her say with a steel tongue.

Little did she know was that Wayne did notice her. How could he not? It was the woman from the Narrows! He had felt that familiar twinge of emotion inside himself when he had first caught sight of her. It was like the mysteriousness of her excited him in some shape or form. His interest in her was based purely on strange interest that he could not let go. He just wanted to learn about her. He didn't know where it would take him. He didn't have a plan of where he wanted it to go. He just wanted to learn more.

The only reason that he was actually looking at this particular painting and said something about it was because he recognized her. He was pleasantly surprised beyond belief that he would see the lady he rescued again. _If only she would show me her eyes…_ That was all he wanted at the moment. He just wanted to look in her eyes. It was her eyes that seemingly bewitched him into wanting to learn more about her for no apparent reason. _Emerald gaze… _The urge to look into that gaze grew. But how could he get her to turn to face him?

Bruce smiled at his blond companion. He looked back at the painting while trying his best not to stare closer at the woman he had previously seen in the Narrows. He had an idea in mind. He wasn't sure that it would work, but he had a feeling that it just might if one would consider how she reacted when he said that he didn't get the painting. He wasn't sure why she reacted to what he said the way she did, but it didn't matter. He was glad to see her again.

"This painting confuses me the most," he explained. "Why does Anne Vera use such textures? Now I'm not a painter, but I know enough to say that this doesn't look so appealing. Hell, it's kind of unoriginal."

From his peripheral vision, Bruce carefully watched the green-eyed woman. He looked for any change in body language. But to his surprise, he found nothing. It was either he was losing his touch on reading people, or that this woman was pretty good at composing herself in hiding. He knew that he was practically a master at body language so it had to be the latter option. It must be her. She was controlling herself. He was even more intrigued by her.

_The nerve of the man! _Anne just wanted to gag even more. Bruce Wayne had just dared to critique her artwork. She was surprised that he didn't know that it was she who painted the painting he was looking at. But then again, she didn't hold him in high regard so it made sense that he didn't have the brains to bother looking for a picture or any information of the painter that this exhibition was showcasing.

"Maybe she purposely wanted to offend the Seeing Eye. She obviously uses symbols," she slowly said; trying her best from having her tone sound heated which would reveal her true feelings of annoyance and disgust towards the billionaire.

Bruce smiled even wider. _There you are. _He had gotten a reaction. What pleased him most though was that he got to hear her voice. It sounded so soft to him, but strong like she bore some hidden fire. It sounded so…_Beautiful… _Beautiful? How could it be beautiful to him? Why would he use such a word? The image of Rachel's smile popped in his head. The wave of sadness threatened to overcome him. He also kind of felt like giving up this venture with the mysterious woman and going home. But this wasn't just about getting info about the green-eyed lady. He was still playing a part; he was acting like an ignorant playboy. And so he nodded at her with his pretend smugness.

"More like cliché," he easily countered. He decided to point out a few things. He wasn't sure if what this painter was trying to do with the symbols, but he had to keep her talking. Despite the anxiousness he felt due to still feeling the blow of Rachel's demise, he still wanted to continue. Something inside of him fueled him to continue. Besides, all he wanted was to see her eyes and to keep hearing her voice. He also had to admit that he was staring to have fun now. He sensed something exciting from her. He didn't know why, but he wanted to keep it going just for a little bit longer. "Heart for love. Moon for independence. Sun for constant. Fire for passion. Skull for death. Heard it and seen it all before," he continued.

_Of course, he would say the generic stuff. Typical freeloader. _"That's true…" Anne replied, trying to hold her annoyance in a little bit more. She was now even more frustrated. Here was a man that reveled in complications that look like simple things, but was trying to contradict that by having a supposedly deep conversation with her. "But if you look closer and actually _think_ then you can realize that she's conveying that sometimes simplicity is the way to go."

Bruce blinked slightly. He felt like the conversation was going to a subject he actually had an opinion on. "Simplicity is just a word mankind made to describe something that we wanted most besides sex, money, and power," he said with certainty. "Nothing is ever simple. We humans just call things simple for the hell of it." He thought of himself as Batman. He thought about his own past. _Nothing is simple. I wish it could be that easy. _"What many people don't realize is that everything is complicated. Or they _do _realize it, but they prefer to remain in ignorance and choose not to even acknowledge it. Doubters and so forth…"

"Sometimes ignorance is bliss." Anne said with conviction. _Let things be simple. Too much complication hurts. _She thought of her own past; of the things she's worked to hide. _Everyone ends up getting hurt._

"Ignorance is one step further to Hell." Bruce replied quickly. _If we ignore things, then we are all lost._ His persona Batman came to mind and all the dilemmas he's faced with being the Batman.

Anne steeled herself. _Sometimes the past wins if you remember. _"Then I'll see you and everyone else there," she pointedly said just as quickly.

It took Bruce quite a bit to respond to what she said. His attention was now solely focused on her eyes. _Emerald._ They were so strong looking and he could feel the sharp daggers she was throwing at him with those eyes. _Hm. _He found it a little funny that she was looking at him with such dislike. He saw the look she gave him as Batman; that look of respect and of interest. _If you only knew that it was me… _

"Touché," he said finally. A sudden sadness enveloped him. He liked this woman in front of him already for some reason. Perhaps it was her eyes or her aura of silent strength. He wasn't too sure. It was just that he knew he still carried pain with him. He still bore grief over his parents and Rachel. _Even if I wanted to pursue something with you…a friendship or whatever... _He knew that it would be for naught because he refused to let anyone else get in. He refused to let another person get hurt because of him. He wouldn't let some strange first glance fascination get the better of him. _It's good that you don't like me. It has to be that way._ Despite the thought in his head, he wanted it to be not true.

"Taking a cue from you… Cliché." Anne replied, trying her best to hide her contempt although she had this distinct feeling that it wasn't working. _He's giving up… Or is it me? Whatever. I won't back down._

It then became a stare down. A pair of dark eyes met a pair of light ones. Soft chocolate eyes met sharp emerald eyes. Both bore intensity. Both were carried by people who had strong wills. Both had bearers that hid secret pasts and hurts.

Suddenly, a strike of familiarity hit Anne as she confronted Bruce Wayne with her eyes. It felt strange, but the thought of having seen him recently crossed her mind. _Something looks… _But she quickly dismissed the thought as soon as the familiarity dared to come within her. Of course Bruce Wayne was familiar. He was familiar to anyone. He was always on the news, in magazines, etc, etc. If one hasn't seen him in person then one has seen him in other media outlets. _The Prince of Gotham… More like the Spoiled Brat of Gotham..._

Bruce's sense of familiarity was already in place. He was only happy to have a little stare-down with the woman he saved. He was given an opportunity to look even more at her green orbs. She had eyes that captivated him. They were eyes that he couldn't dare forget.

"Oh, I see you met this evening's star, Bruce."

_This evening's star? _Bruce blinked rapidly. He looked at the person who spoke. It was the owner of the hotel: the unremarkable Shaun Weaver. As he stared a little bit confused at Weaver, another slightly different hit of realization came upon him. The woman he had rescued. The woman that he just had a heated banter with. _How could I be so idiotic? I had every opportunity to put the name to a face… _It was her all along.

"Anne Vera?" he asked, concealing his surprise with a confident tone. It all made sense now. He understood why she was being so hostile to him. They were not just talking about a painting. They were talking about _her _painting. _How could I…_ It all made sense. He didn't know whether to feel ashamed for not knowing the truth right away, and for his lack of research, or feel bad for insulting the woman's work when he didn't have right to criticize it since he didn't have the credentials to do so.

He started the effort to apologize to her, but it failed for in Anne's mesmerizing emerald orbs were even more dislike in them. He only did what he did to see those eyes, but for some reason it hurt to see the displeasure in them. _The things you do, Bruce…_ The things he tends to do marvel him at times.

"Bruce Wayne." Anne curtly said; inside seething. She could see the surprise in him which made her feel great because she didn't feel the same way as him. She was the one with the upper hand. _I recognized you. _But he didn't recognize her. She suspected that many didn't get the chance to visibly out-anything with this man.

Bruce resisted the urge to close his eyes in regret. _If only I could… _He felt someone slip their arm through his. He almost flinch it away, but when he looked to his side he realized who it was. It was the blond woman he deemed appropriate for the playboy Bruce Wayne to accompany him. He nearly had forgotten that she was even around. _What was your name? _But the name didn't come to mind for his attention was solely on Anne.

"Nice to meet you," he finally greeted.

Anne found it very hard to resist rolling her eyes, but luckily she was able to control herself. _Oh, yes. Very nice to meet you. _She just smiled nonchalantly and nodded. She knew that if she spoke again she would only sound like a fired-up bitch. _Not like you don't deserve it. _She had to get away or else she would say something that would blatantly reveal her true feelings of distaste for Wayne.

"Excuse me," she said; not looking at Wayne, but at the owner Shaun Weaver. "I'm afraid I have other guests to attend to." With that, she didn't give Wayne any of sort of look and left.

Bruce watched her walk away towards a few ladies by the dining area and the bar. He regretted that her first impression of him was so bad. _It has to be that way… _But he hoped that he could amend everything somehow. _But why? Didn't I resolve to let it go? _He knew it was so because there was something about Anne Vera; something that intrigued him. _Green like a jewel. _It definitely had something to do with her eyes.

"So. Did you have a nice conversation with our artist of the night?" Shaun Weaver gruffly asked him with his big toothy smile.

Bruce didn't answer at first because his keen eyes were discreetly surveying the whereabouts of Anne, and the possible routes danger might come from. He felt a nudge from the date of his, and nodded slightly.

He gave Weaver a winning smile. "Pleasant? No. We just had a verbal spar, I believe."

Shaun's big eyes widened so much that they looked like the eyes of an owl. The gap between his eyebrows were more evident now especially the incoming uni-brow. He smiled in such pleasure that Bruce couldn't help, but give this guy credit for being so happy go lucky, or so the owner let on to the world.

"Really?" the older man asked excitedly. "Who won?"

Bruce didn't really have an answer. It wasn't like he was trying to have a verbal sparring with her. What he wanted was to alleviate his instant curiosity about her. But the problem was the little back and forth he had with her only proved to created more interest about her. He knew he couldn't just let her walk away like that. He needed to learn more.

"I'm not entirely sure," he simply said.

xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxox...xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxox...xoxoxoxooxxo

Anne grumbled to herself about the ignorance of Bruce Wayne as she made her way toward table 29. She was appalled by the gall that man had to criticize her painting. He was nothing but a freeloading, spoiled brat. He had no right to say the things he said. She was fuming, but she couldn't show that to her friends. So as she met up with them, she composed herself and gave them her patented smile.

To her curiosity, Lisa was grinning madly at her while the others just drank their beverages and looked at each other like they knew something she didn't. Anne could only let her smile fade and glared at her nosy friends. She suspected that they saw her arguing with Wayne, but she wouldn't let them make fun of her for it.

"I saw you, girl!" Lisa exclaimed excitedly. "You were talking to Bruce Wayne!"

Anne wanted to knock her head against the wall. _There she goes. _Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she calmly sat down next to her best girl friend Sam. "Talking… doesn't mean a thing," she replied, "It doesn't mean shit to me at all at this point especially with a man like Bruce Wayne."

Christine snorted. "And you said that you didn't like rich boys."

"I don't," Anne reassured, her bright eyes suddenly darkening. "Especially of the likes of that freeloader…" _Why would anyone be interested in him? All he was – was a bad case of testosterone. _"The only reason anyone goes for him is because he's rich and he can buy their favor. He's like the old kings of the 15th century and what-no, but without the responsibility hence him being called a freeloader."

Giggling Lisa responded, "Well, despite the fact you hate him. You got to admit…. That man is appealing to the eye which makes him really delicious." She turned her head to glance at Wayne who was chatting with some ladies and another business man.

Anne snorted. "Well then, why don't you just join the Bruce Wayne Club?" she suggested.

"Club?" Lisa asked in confusion.

Christine immediately understood where Anne was going and nodded. "Oh yes. There's a Bruce Wayne anti-celibacy club. All you have to do is go through the rite of passage."

"What sort of passage?"

"Simple."

"How simple?"

"Sleep with him." Anne and Christine said simultaneously.

Silence filled he space between the two friends. Anne and Christine just stared at their friend Lisa with their best serious looks. The short browned hair woman looked back and forth between the two friends. She was shocked. They had just suggested that she should have a one night stand with Bruce Wayne. It wasn't like she was complaining. It was just confusing. She knew that neither lady like the billionaire.

_Why would…._ Why would they such a thing? But then she looked deeper into their eyes, and found something she was happy to see. It was humor. She knew humor very well and reveled in it. She was glad that her friends were only teasing her rather than mocking her. She had been scared for a moment.

Anne and Christine laughed at the look in Lisa's eyes. "Did you really think we'd send you off to a man like Wayne?" the emerald-eyed one asked. She took her friend's hand and squeezed. "You mean too much to us for us to let you go like that."

Lisa laughed. "I know," she said. "But I must admit to you guys… I wouldn't mind having a go at it with Wayne"

Both ladies were stunned while Sam just shook her head and continued looking through her phone.

"What?" Christine asked. Of the group of girlfriends, she was the only one that shared that dislike of the Prince of Gotham with Anne although not with as much vigor as Anne had against him. But still, she didn't like the guy and she couldn't understand why Lisa did. "Why? Why would you consider such a horrid thing?"

Laughing harder, Lisa explained, "For one, he's sexy." She nodded her head excitedly and mouthed, "_So freaking sexy._" She looked at her friends with more joy in her eyes. "And two, he's insanely rich."

"And three…" Anne said expectantly. She wished to help Lisa see the error of her ways, but she couldn't deny that she wasn't having fun. She enjoyed when she and her girl friends talked like this. It was pretty freeing.

Lisa leaned forward; getting closer to them as if what she had to say was a big secret. Anne and Christine played along and leaned towards her to gain the valuable information.

"Three…" Lisa said with excitement. "I've heard he's a god in bed."

Christine laughed as Anne blinked. They both then shook their heads and returned to how they were sitting before which made Lisa quite baffled. This was not the response she expected or was going for.

"What?" she asked in concerned tone.

Anne smiled softly. As much as she liked to tease Lisa, she knew how fragile the woman really was. "Bruce Wayne may be a man to bring to your bed," she answered, "but he's not a man to bring to your parents and share a life with."

Lisa, stubborn as a mule, didn't seem to care. "Who said I wanted to marry him?"

Everyone at the table laughed in good will.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo…..jfkjfkfjfkjfkfjfkf…jfjfjfjfjfjfjjfjffjj….

Ever since Anne departed ways from him, Bruce has since been caught up in unwanted conversations with people he didn't know, people he didn't like, and people he didn't care about. Every talk was about the hottest fad in the world and Batman. Even his French companion had become a bore to him. All he did was make the right moves to please those around him without revealing his disinterest in those around him.

_Green…_ His only interest was on Anne Vera. Her face was clearly in his mind, and he couldn't get it out. What surprised him was that her face was battling the image of Rachel's, and he didn't know what to do about it. He knew that the picture of his lost love strayed into his view because he missed her so much. But what was curious was that a woman he barely knew had some weight in his mind for he couldn't dismiss Anne's face away so easily.

She had a young face, but despite the youth that she obviously had on her skin there was also some hint of age to her. It was like something wise and shadowed age was beneath the youth exterior. There was a certain crinkling of her skin that he recognized around his own eyes in the mirror. It was a barely veiled fatigue like she hadn't been sleeping well. Her face was elegant and angular with wide yet sharp cheekbones. Her complexion was both fair and golden. He had no doubt that she could turn olive within a few days exposed under the sun.

But it was her eyes that were the most fascinating feature of hers. Her eyes seemed to overtake everything else. It even overtook her long, layered black hair. Her eyes were a certain shade of green – emerald green. Those eyes held shadows in them – things hidden from plain view. There was something about those eyes. He just couldn't put his finger on what it could be.

_That's why I couldn't stop staring until she turned her back on me to fend off another attacker. _She was born with the eyes of myth. Eyes that were meant to mystify; to work like hooks and tantalize those that look into them. He had only met a few people who bore something akin to what she had in her orbs. His mother had it, Fox has it, The Joker has it, and his once mentor-turned enemy Henri Ducard had it. She was rare person because of her eyes. He couldn't let go of her eyes.

From the conversation he had with her earlier, he could tell that she was one of those people who thought that he was a horrible person, a player, and a brat. _But that's not me. _He wasn't quite sure why he kind of was inclined to show Vera that it wasn't so. _Show her that it's all a cover… Like Batman? _He wasn't going to tell her about that part of his life, but he felt like he wanted to reveal some things to her.

_But why, he asked himself. _Why did he now suddenly want to show Anne that it was all a cover; that there's more to him than what he shows? Bruce saw Rachel's face come up in his mind's eye again. Her smile took his breath away. He knew that he was still in love with her. So he knew that whatever this interest was in Anne was not for romantic reasons.

He has yet to talk to anyone about Rachel. He hasn't even talked to Alfred about it. He couldn't. It just all hurt too much and it felt too soon. Sure, it's been months since she died, but he loved her! She was the one for him! Ever since her passing, she haunted him. Everywhere he went he was reminded of her; reminded of his parents. He had plunged himself into his work even more now so he would avoid talking about how it all affected him. He kept telling himself that he had to be strong for Gotham; that his hurts don't matter. _Because they don't. _

It didn't hide the fact that Rachel was close to him in public. He made sure to put forth to the world that he had cared for her, but didn't further explain how he cared for her and in what way. _I wonder if Anne knows. _He deemed that she probably does know what everyone else knows, but doesn't care. She dislikes him immensely.

_Maybe that's why… _ He wasn't sure how long anyone was supposed to grieve. But something about Anne riveted him. He did have some fun bantering with her despite the knowledge that she dislikes him. There was a sort of peculiar excitement rushing through him when he first riled her up. He had felt this way in a long time. _Maybe…_ Maybe that's what he needed. _A new goal…a challenge…a friend._ "Maybe…" he mused silently to himself.

"Has Batman been caught yet?" asked his lady companion.

Shaun Weaver shook his head. "Not yet. He's evasive," he replied, "but he will be caught soon. I know it."

Curiosity sparkled in the French woman's eyes. "Is that so?" she asked. She looked back and forth between Wayne and Weaver. "I hear that some people still look to Batman for help." She continued with a little smile, "I also here that he still prowls the streets of Gotham looking for criminals to help put away."

Bruce laughed along with his companion of the night and the owner of the hotel. It was slightly comforting to know that some people of the city till thought Batman was innocent. But like he told Gordon – he wasn't the hero that Gotham needs. And he will continue to play the role that Gotham needed him to be in.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo_jkkkkkkkdjksjdaldjaljd==========xoxoxoxox

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you enjoyed the edited chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimers: **I don't own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N: **A few more changes have been made. I hope you all enjoy. Review if you want to! Thanks.

**Summary: ** Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Well, Fate knew that, but they didn't. Both are haunted by their pasts. Both are dealing with what their past made them. Yet perfect isn't easy to get or to have. How long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? (Post The Dark Knight about five months.)

"What's so special about The Batman?" Bruce asked after some back and forth talk between Weaver and his companion about Batman's goal in this city had its time between the three of them.

Shawn Weaver was a middle-aged man. His voice was gruff, his hair was gray, and he was taller than Wayne by three inches; tall and lanky. He was born from wealth thus making him a millionaire. But the man was hungrier for more. He was in high standing with those involved in painting and the arts, but need more backing to achieve the goals he had in mind. He was set on having Wayne help him, but knew that it wouldn't be so easy.

"I agree whole heartedly," he said with a polite smile. It was like he was acting like a courtier in a king's court. He wanted to suck up to Wayne and impress the billionaire to get more favors, or his case – a suitable business partner that had a better reputation than his. "He's nothing but a man obsessed with flying rodents."

Bruce smiled back. _Obsessed? Not likely... More like a fear…_ "Or facing my fear," he thought. But he said nothing, because he didn't need to. This was just between Weaver and the woman holding onto his arm.

But his companion had other ideas.

"I've heard about the crime this city has…and I've heard how Batman saved Gotham from being poisoned…" she said, "And then helped capture the Joker. You should be thankful."

Shaun laughed at her like she was a naive little girl. He replied dismissively, "In turn, destroying the rail, murdering five men. Instigating chaos. People dying. Lives destroyed. Fear renewed. Yeah, I'm thankful."

Bruce nodded even though he disagreed. But that's what he had to deal with. He made a choice. He wasn't met to be the hero. All that mattered to him was that Gotham was safe. He personally didn't matter. It was all about the city he loved so well.

"There still isn't proof as you say that he murdered the men," the lady insisted. "But after everything he's done..." She didn't continue because she saw on both of the men's face that it was no use; that they both believe that Batman was always in the wrong.

Something loudly vibrated in Bruce's pocket. Without looking down, he took out his phone. Making sure that the two with him couldn't see what was on the screen, he excused himself. As he parted ways with the woman and the owner of the hotel, he walked a few steps toward one of the pillars; making sure that he wasn't too far from the two and opened his phone.

He smiled at the planned call made from one of his computers. He was grateful for a way to get out of that so called conversation. He knew that his lady companion wanted was gifts from him and he also knew that Weaver just wanted his favorable support. But now was not the time. He needed to check a few things out. He had to leave.

Bruce hung up and put the phone back in his pocket. He then walked back to the two who were waiting for him.

"Excuse me, but I'm needed by a few associates of mine," he said in a regretful tone as he gave the woman a kiss on the cheek and patted Weaver on the shoulder.

Frowning, Shaun asked, "Must you leave? Ms. Vera hasn't given her speech yet."

_All you want is me to back you in your endeavors. _But he just smiled and said, "As much as I would love to hear it..." He really did want to hear it. "I really must go."

He bade them farewell and walked towards the exit. But before that he made one last discreet look toward where Anne was. _Perhaps, you and I will meet again. _He sighed and left the party.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox…kjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkj….-….xoxoxoxox

"Hey!" Lisa cried, but luckily for her table it wasn't loud enough for other people to hear her. "Wayne is leaving!" She pouted her lips slightly. "Shucks…" she continued. "I wanted an autograph or something."

Anne snorted. She wasn't surprised that the billionaire left so early. It was common knowledge that Wayne never stayed to long at parties – not even the parties that he hosts. _He probably has another one to go to. Or he's going to by something else that shouldn't belong to him. _She took a sip of water and hoped that it would at least calm her.

"Bored already," she stated.

Christine, as usual, was in agreement with Anne. "This party is too small for him," she replied. This instigated laughter between her and Anne except for Lisa.

"Too bad people hate Batman." Lisa said, instantly changing the subject. But it wasn't on purpose. That was just how her mind worked. She either stayed too long on a particular subject or didn't stay long enough one.

"Not everyone hates him," Anne replied; thinking about her encounter with Batman. She thought about his coal dark eyes, and how they pierced her. She still felt the residue of him touching her wrist. "It's just…" She looked at Christine who nodded encouragingly at her. "He's, I guess, misunderstood by the community."

"I know that," Lisa continued. "I don't hate him." She looked at two girls around her. "You don't hate him. Christine doesn't hate him. None of us hates him." She nodded again but this time with more resolve. "I know that he is said to be a murderer, but I can't hate him. You know..."

"Yeah, we know." Christine replied. "For some reason, I can't think Batman could be a murderer." She licked her lips for a second before she continued. "He's more like a man that's…close to committing that type of crime, but wouldn't."

The three women at the table nodded in agreement. Anne could tell that Lisa was about to change the subject. Her right eye always twitched when she was about to bring something new to the conversation. It was actually quite endearing. Everyone knew that they needed Lisa to keep things fresh when they were talking. That's what everyone loved most about her.

"What do I have to do for him to save me?" Lisa asked, voice turning breathy and husky like.

Christine nodded. "Tell me about it, girl." She grinned at Lisa. "I saw him at the party when the Joker was running about." She shivered. "I was scared, sure, but man, Batman was sexy!" She laughed and winked at Anne. "And he sure kicked some ass."

Anne giggled at how Christine and Lisa were acting. She playfully hit Lisa with a napkin.

"Women…ladies…girls…" she said with a small smile. "Easy now…" She gave a pretend look of disgust. "I really don't want you two to have an orgasm in front of me." She pointed at Lisa. "Especially you! That wouldn't be cool."

Lisa looked offended. "Me? Orgasm in public? Please," she scoffed.

"Tis true…" Anne said as her eyes strayed to the ceiling. The wide window that was the ceiling revealed the sky in its greatness. It was dark blue out with the stars actually capable of being seen despite the infringing skyscrapers and mechanical lights. She remembered a few months ago when the Bat-Signal used to shine out proudly in the night.

_But not anymore unfortunately… _Her mind flashed to when the vigilante rescued her from being the victim. It was all so clear in her mind. Every moment replayed over and over again until it finally stopped to when she realized that she was protected by the Batman. Her body still remembered his black glove on her wrist. _And those eyes…_

"Anne!"

Blinking very slowly, Anne returned from her daydream back to reality. She looked at her two friends who were staring at her with some concern.

"Wh-what?" she asked.

Christine looked at her curiously. "You blanked out on us."

_I did? I was just thinking for a few seconds. Was it really that long? _"I did?" Anne questioned. She herself was confused.

After seeing their nods, she knew it had to be true. _Why did I blank out? What was I thinking about?_ Then she knew. She was thinking about her quick encounter with the Batman. She was stuck on how that moment when she realized it was him whom had saved her had made her feel.

"Oh, yes," she said in an apologetic voice, "I blanked out. Right…"

"What were you thinking about?" Lisa asked.

Anne's eyes widen slightly before she could stop it. She wanted to keep her face like stone so that her two friends wouldn't notice that anything was wrong. But now, they had received tell. Should she tell them? _I…I don't know. They might behave like maniacs on me. _Correction, she thought as she looked at Lisa. _Lisa would go hyper maniac…_

"Anne?" Christine called with concern.

She had only told two people about what happened to her. Those two people weren't at the party as of now. She told her two "bestests" friends: Sam and Eddie. _But should I tell them? _She quietly debated whether or not to tell them for a few seconds before deciding that she would tell them. _What the hell! Whatever._

"Um, well you see… I...I...uh, well..." she said slowly and with nervous energy. _Aw c'mon Anne. Seriously? You made the decision. Now tell them. _"ImettheBatman…" she quickly spat out under her breath.

It appeared that her friends didn't hear her for Lisa frowned and said, "Come again?" while Christine repeated, "You've met someone…" She then frowned and continued, "But who exactly did you meet?"

_Tell them, Anne. _It was nothing special. No man was special to her. She didn't like having any relations whether romantic or not with any man besides Eddie, but Eddie was different. He knew a lot more about her than probably anyone besides Sam. _Tell them! Batman isn't special. You were saved by him. That's why he's become such a fascination. C'mon Anne!_

"I met Batman!" she hissed through her teeth.

Christine's eyes went as wide as saucers while Lisa gaped in pure envy. Both were extremely surprised at the latest development revealed by one of their closest friends. Once over the initial shock, they both looked at each other with slight grins and then returned their gazes back to Anne.

"You…you met whom?" Christine asked, trying to compose herself by failing because the newest revelation was just too much for her. She was pretty excited. Her friend met the Batman. She needed to know the details.

"Batman!" Anne exclaimed. Her frustrations were evident to both herself and to her friends. "Didn't you two hear me?"

Lisa closed her mouth and blinked. She was speechless. In turn, Christine slapped the back of Lisa's head. This made Lisa jump up; startled and curse under her breath at the intrusion to her wildly racing thoughts concerning what she had just learned.

Anne grinned. This was probably the first time she has ever heard Lisa curse. The short haired woman was a devout believer in being polite and lady-like. Even though she was absent minded sometimes and said things that made people question her sanity, Lisa was a kind woman who disliked cursing and made a promise that she wouldn't curse in public.

It took a few seconds for Lisa to compose herself. She rubbed the back of her head and grumbled something along the lines of very threatening words such as kill, torture, and everything that went in-between them.

"Well, did you hear me?" Anne asked her with half amusement and half impatience.

Lisa's refusal to answer made Christine shake her head. "We both heard you," she said. "She heard…" She grinned at Anne. "She's just in shock. The profanity plus the jealousy that's running through her veins at this moment can cause a lot of things like this."

Anne looked at Lisa with a similar mischievous grin that Christine had on.

"You're jealous!" she said in mock disbelief.

"I'm not jealous!" Lisa defended herself indignantly which resulted in her getting pointed stares from her friends. "What?" The stares continues to pierce her with amusement and inquiry. She glared at her friends and said in an exasperated voice, "Okay!" She shrugged. "I might be a little jealous."

Anne and Christine smiled in satisfaction.

"Okay, now that we got that out of the way…" Christine started as she rubbed her chin. "Where were we?" she asked to no one in particular. "Oh!" She grinned. "I know! Batman and you," she said as she turned her attention away from Lisa and back to Anne.

"There is no Batman and me." Anne said with a shake of her head. _Of course you would think that. Don't you know me? I have never considered getting into a relationship with anyone least of all the Batman. _

"Sure…" Christine said, already dismissing Anne's words. "Whatever you say." She bit her lip slightly, trying her best to contain the excitement she felt. "How did this happen?"

Breathing loudly, Anne answered, "He rescued me from creeps when I was walking in the Narrows." _Scold away, buddies. Scold away._

"What the hell were you doing in the Narrows?" Lisa scolded after quite a few seconds of silence between the three had passed. "That's a way too far from your home."

_Two for two in one night!_ Anne was amused. "I was at Louisa's apartment," Anne replied slowly. "She convinced me to stay over for the night. So I did. She and I had a lot to catch up on." _Well, more her having a lot to tell me and me listening. _After all, that's what she did. In her friendships, she was the one that listened and gave advice. She never vented to anyone except for Eddie and Sam.

"Rescued?" Christine repeated with wonder and worry. "Why did you have to be rescued?" Her thin eyebrows furrowed in concern. "To be rescued means that you were in trouble. What happened?"

_Interrogation, perhaps? _"Chris, calm down. Nothing horrible happened." Anne said with a very controlled voice, raising her hands up and then putting them back down onto her lap. She was lying though. Something horrible could have happened if it weren't for Batman. But she wasn't going to let her friends know that. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I just got attacked by five ugly men – that's all."

Lisa gaped again and Christine frowned.

"What do you mean five ugly men attacked you?" Christine shouted.

A few people around them turned in surprise and curiosity. Anne glared at Christine. She turned to the people who were staring at them and smiled a smile that they couldn't deny.

"Forgive her. She's had a little much…" she explained. "Okay, she's had a lot of drinks."

Lisa held in her laugh as the people looked at Anne then at Christine and then back at Anne. They gave Anne a nod and turned away back to their previous conversations. Some of them just nodded and chose to pretend that the outburst didn't happen.

Christine took her turn to glare, but Anne wasn't deterred at the slightest bit. She just smiled smugly at her friend for she knew that in essences that she had triumphed. But she also knew that neither Lisa nor Christine would relent until she told them the full story. _Or at least a variation of the full story._

"Yes, five ugly men attacked me. Or tried to." Anne consented in a whisper. "They were ugly. Really ugly. And yes, they tried to attack me with knives and crude language." She gave her friends an assuring smile. But they didn't look too convince. This elicited a question from her mouth asking, "What?" _That wasn't enough? Of course. _

"What do you mean what? Lisa said as she gave Christine a sidelong glance. "You just described your attack as if it were some simple play outing or something! What the hell!"

_Three for three. This is a day for wonders. _Anne shrugged. "So? It doesn't matter anymore. I said that they tried. Batman successfully rescued me from the stinky, ugly, and probably having major mother issues bad guys." She grabbed her class of champagne. "You should be happy." She took a sip of it. "I'm happy," she finished confidently.

"Sometimes I wonder about you…" Lisa muttered with a shake of her head.

_You know, I appreciate your worry for me guys. But I can take care of myself. I've done it this long already. _Anne merely laughed and finished drinking her glass of champagne. She looked at Christine who hadn't even blinked. She was not surprised that her friend still held some disapproval and doubts.

"Anyways…" she started, hoping her two friends would move on from their worry into something else.

Christine blinked. "Anyways…" she repeated. She then decided not to dwell on Anne's calm exterior. "Well, how was he? The vigilante? How did he look? What did he say to you?"

Thinking back, Anne closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. Flashes of that moment where she met Batman came before her eyes. _Black gloves…Shadowed eyes… No words…_

"It was dark, but I could see quite well…" she explained, "He wore all black and resembled a bat as many have spoken of… He was about an inch or two taller than me. White." She paused dramatically and pretended to look deeper into her memory, but in reality, Batman was already crystal clear in her head.

Through the corners of her eyes, she was able to see that Christine and Lisa were caught in her spell and were anxiously waiting for her to go. She smiled inwardly at this and continued, "Dark eyes…" She opened her eyes and put her glass of champagne on an empty round plate when a waiter came by. "A guy was getting up. I turned away from him and pepper sprayed the awakening man. And when I turned – the Batman was gone… So I just said aloud even though I knew he wasn't there." She paused in effect. _I wonder if he heard me. _"I said thank you."

Her eyes were glazed with the memory. The adrenaline still rushing through her veins. She looked at the awe-stricken faces of her friends, and smiled in accomplishment. She always knew how to rack up the attention of her friends when she talked. She always had that gift. Her mother said it was because of her father; that she was so alike her father. _If only I had met him. Maybe the pain I would later receive wouldn't have happened… _But she knew that no matter how she mused her life would have been if she had her father in her life, it wouldn't matter. _What's done is done._

"Anne Vera! Where is Anne Vera?"

_Escape…a temporary escape…_ She smiled at her friends. "It seems that I'm wanted," she said as pleasantly as she could. She gave them a nod, and turned away. Her insides were squirming at her futile thoughts and the memory of Batman. She breathed slowly within herself; returning to that place where she was in control. _Okay._ She walked away and headed toward whoever was calling her.

Christine and Lisa watched as their friend walked away from them in amusement and awe.

"She's pretty lucky with all this…" Lisa said.

Christine nodded. "I don't think she even cares."

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo….-….kjkjkjkjkjkj….._xoxoxox

**TBC**

**End-note**: Another edited chapter done. I hope you liked the new additions.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N**: I know I have other stories to update (which I will), but I had to post this. This story could not get out of my head. Now, this is the first time I've ever written something for Batman Begins.

**A/N-2**: Yay, for another chapter! I'm on a roll! Lol! I hope you all enjoy it. Your reviews just keep me going. Thank you all so much. Once again, reviews appreciated!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after

It's been two hours patrolling.

He then decided to make a personal stop. He decided to return to a very familiar place; a place that wouldn't get out of his mind.

After a few jumps, he was there.

It was where he first met Anne Vera; the strange beauty with a harsh countenance that bore emerald green eyes.

He remembered making his rounds hoping that no one would be in trouble, but of course, in the Narrows some trouble was happening.

Then he saw it.

A woman was being attacked, but she wasn't doing too bad at defending herself.

_**I made my move. I helped her out, and when I walked towards her – she moves to spray me!**_

But luckily, he had grabbed her hand. She didn't push the button. Instead they locked eyes.

_**Emerald eyes.**_

And then, one of her attackers grunted. She pulled her arm away from him and sprayed that attacker.

_**And then I left.**_

Okay, he didn't actually leave right away. He waited until the Gotham police arrived.

And the bonus was that he got to hear her say thank you. For him, that was enough.

_**What's that?**_

He looked down at where he was standing. It was something small. He zoned in to what it was.

_**A can…pepper spray… Why did she leave it?**_

He picked it up and looked at it.

_**I wonder if she left Purple Metro.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was eleven p.m. and Anne, Christine, and Lisa were now walking to the building where all three lived in.

"That was some speech, Anne." Lisa commented. "You moved the crowd. A job well done!"

Anne smiled.

"Why thank you!" she replied. "And guess what?"

Lisa and Christine looked at each other.

"What?" they asked.

Anne grinned as she answered.

"Shaun Weaver told me that the exhibition went so great that he decided to auction some of my pieces. It'll be in two weeks at the Purple Metro."

Lisa squealed as Christine grinned back.

"And you said yes, right?" she asked.

Anne frowned. "No, I told him to go to hell," she said sarcastically. "Of course, I accepted."

Christine laughed while Lisa shook her head.

"I'm the kind of person who can't handle sarcasm…" Lisa said. "You guys should know that."

"Oh, we know…" Anne and Christine returned together.

Lisa rolled her eyes.

"Always ganging up on me…" she muttered.

"Ah, ease up, Lisa. You know we love to death." Anne replied.

Christine shook her head.

"Um, not to death. I think I would like to live a little longer," she contended.

Anne's eyes widen.

"Christine!" she exclaimed as she slapped her friend's shoulder. "That was mean!"

Christine shook her head.

"If anyone can be mean with words it's you," she countered jokingly.

Anne laughed.

All of a sudden, they heard a loud swish against the wind. Soon after that, a slight _thump_ was heard in front of them.

Christine automatically went into her fight stance while Lisa grabbed Anne's arm. They all looked straight ahead and to their surprise, they were greeted by the one and only Dark Knight of Gotham: The Batman.

He was in a crouched position with a hand down on the ground.

Anne felt herself freeze.

_**We meet again.**_

Batman smiled inwardly at their reactions. After analyzing the two ladies (who were obviously not looking at him with hate) that he was sure was with Anne back in Purple Metro, he laid his eyes solely on Ms. Vera.

There they were. Those emerald eyes were staring right back at him. He didn't know why, but he did want to smile.

_**Anne Vera….**_

Anne stared straight at him. She looked into his dark eyes; captivated.

_**The Batman.**_

"Uh, that's Batman." Lisa whispered.

Christine withdrew her fighting stance and smiled.

"We know," she replied. "Don't we, Anne?"

Anne couldn't answer. How could she when The Batman was right there in front of her?

She could tell that her heart rate was going up. She felt it and she could hear it. But one question stayed in her mind.

_**Why?**_

Batman barely blinked. Why? It was because he didn't want to blink. He didn't think he would catch her.

_**But here she is…**_

He stood up; careful not to break the eye contact he had with Anne.

"You forgot something," he said; letting his voice become hoarse.

Lisa was immediately confused. She looked at Anne and then at Christine. The level of confusion grew when Batman tossed something over to Anne.

She watched as Anne catches the mysterious object and look at it. She then looked back at The Batman and was surprised that he was still there.

Anne looked down at the thing that she caught. She smiled slightly. _**I can't believe I forgot this. And the fact that the police didn't see it, but Batman did.**_

It was the pepper spray can.

She looked up at the Batman with gratitude in her eyes.

"Thanks," she replied.

The Batman just nodded and before the ladies knew it – he was gone.

Anne gripped the can and breathed.

Lisa was now smiling her butt off.

"It's official," she said with her face flushed. "Oh, yeah, I'm in love."

Christine rolled her eyes.

"You're not in love," she countered. "You're in lust."

She looked at Anne who was still standing still. She shook her head with a smile.

"If anyone's in love, I think its Anne," she mentioned as she nodded at the said person.

Lisa looked at Anne. She then smiled and looked back at Christine.

"You're right," she agreed. "Look at her. She's memorized. She's already missing him."

_**Shadow eyes…**_

It was then she realized what they were saying. She finally moved from her position and turned to her friends.

She opened her mouth, but found that she couldn't speak.

"Oh, you are in love with him!" Lisa exclaimed, exciting growing in her.

Christine added, "Of course, he came back just to give her something."

Anne looked down at the can.

"What did he give you, Anne?" Lisa asked. "What was it that you forgot?"

"Pepper spray." Anne replied.

She gripped the can harder. A feeling came over her. She couldn't describe it. She didn't want it to go away.

Anne smiled. "Let's go home."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I hope to have one up again by tomorrow. Reviews appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N**: I know I have other stories to update (which I will), but I had to post this. This story could not get out of my head. Now, this is the first time I've ever written something for Batman Begins.

**A/N-2**: Yes, this is a short chapter, but I had to write it. Don't worry; another chapter will be up by tonight or tomorrow.

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after

Anne arrived at home with a soft smile on her face. She locked the door and put her key into the lockbox.

She put on the alarm and walked to her bedroom. Once she got there, she closed her door, and took off her dress. She then picked up the dress and went to her closet; putting the dress in the hamper.

After that, she got ready for bed. She put on her night gown. She walked to her bathroom and brushed her teeth.

She put her purse on the table near her bed and took out the can of peppery spray. She looked at it and smiled slightly. She then let it stand on the table close to her.

_**The Dark Knight…**_

Anne pulled one of the blankets and got settled in the bed. She pulled the covers over her.

_**What a night?**_

Yes, it was a night for her. It was her exhibition at one of the most new age hotels – the Purple Metro.

_**I was so excited!**_

On her way there, she got attacked by five ghastly men and was subsequently saved by the Batman.

_**Baldy, Hiss-y, Tubby, and the other two idiots… Batman…**_

Then she met for the first time Gotham's very own Prince and had a little verbal spat with him.

_**Bruce Wayne…the bastard…thinks he knows everything…How dare he critique my artwork!**_

And then after that, she saw Batman again.

_**He actually spoke to me! One hoarse/raspy voice….**_

He gave her back the pepper spray.

Batman was Batman. She was interested from the moment he first appeared, and now she was more interested in him because people don't exactly like him anymore.

She wasn't sure how she felt about him murdering five people, but then again – for some particular reason she didn't believe what the police have been saying.

He gave her back the pepper spray.

She looked at it as her eyes brightened. She then turned off the light and closed her eyes.

And the image of the Caped Crusader never left her mind as she drifted off into the land of dreams.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce arrived back home soon after he caught up with Ms. Vera. He had already undressed from his suit and put on his night clothes.

As he was walking out, he was met by Alfred.

He nodded at Alfred who had most likely stayed up loyally until he returned from his time as Batman.

"Hard night, sir?" asked the trusted butler.

Bruce looked at him; trying to focus his eyes.

"Nothing as bad as the Joker or Scarecrow," he replied as he cracked his neck twice.

"Would you like anything, Master Wayne?" Alfred asked as he stood up.

"No, I don't need anything, but thank you, Alfred." Bruce answered with a shake of his head. "I'll be going to bed."

Alfred smiled sadly at his charge, but Bruce didn't see it. "Goodnight then."

Bruce smiled tiredly back. "Goodnight."

He walked to his bedroom and shut the door. Stretching his arms wide, he yawned.

It had been a long night. He had been out twice. And then he had to parade himself as "The Playboy" Bruce Wayne in Purple Metro.

It was tiring, but necessary. He hoped one day that he wouldn't have to do it anymore, but until then – he would do what was necessary.

_**But the night hadn't been all that bad.**_

He climbed into his bed; not bothering to put the covers over him. He just laid his head down on the pillow; body on the bed and let his mind calm.

The night had brought him to Anne Vera.

He had met her as the Batman and as himself – or at least his playboy self. And boy, did he get two very different reactions.

It seemed as Batman she looked like she liked him, but as Bruce "playboy" Wayne, she obviously was disgusted by him.

_**If only you knew, those two were one in the same.**_

Another thought came into his head. It was a thought on how strangely beautiful she was for she had a very harsh countenance, and her eyes seemed to be a strange shade at different times of emerald green.

_**Emerald eyes…**_

He wanted to get know more of her.

_**As what? A friend or something more?**_

He didn't know what. He didn't know if he was exactly over Rachel. Rachel had been the love of his life. He had been destroyed when she died.

_**Lingering on her and what could have been won't get me anywhere. I need to move on. But I still am grieving for Rachel.**_

But he did know that he wanted to get closer to Anne Vera.

_**But how?**_

He wanted to get closer to her as Batman and as Bruce Wayne.

_**But how can that be accomplished? **_

With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes; only to find a certain pair of emerald eyes staring at him as he drifted off into sleep.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: Short chapter I know! I hope you all enjoyed! Reviews appreciated!

Top of Form

Bottom of Form


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that, but I do own Anne Vera and her friends.

**A/N**: Yay, for another chapter! I'm keeping them coming! Lol! Okay, this is a late chapter. I'm sorry, but I hope you all enjoy it. I must admit that it took me awhile to even think of this specific chapter. I surely had some problems writing it. But your reviews just kept me going. Thank you all so much. Once again, reviews appreciated! Reviews keep me writing!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after

The next night, Anne held a little party at her home. Only her closest buddies were invited. They were Lisa, Christine, Louisa, Samantha, Bret, Dorian, and Courtney.

It was filled with drinking, eating, games, movies, and a lot of gossiping.

Anne was sitting down on the balcony. She had her back against the wall with her eyes closed, and a glass of scotch on rocks was in her hand.

She was lost in her thoughts. She didn't think about her day, because nothing exciting happened. She just had a pretty much laid back Sunday.

No, what was in her thoughts was something else. She was thinking about last night; about how troubling last night was.

She was happy that her exhibition went well, but she had misgivings about it. She had many misgivings about what happened last night.

Another misgiving was her little spar with Bruce Wayne. She didn't expect to meet him head on. She didn't like it at all.

_**Do I feel guilty?**_

Anne shook her head. No, she didn't feel guilty at all. She didn't say anything that bad besides he didn't know what she had told her friends about him.

_**But why does it feel out there?**_

She didn't know what it was, but there was something _strange _happening. She felt _strange_ after talking to Wayne.

_**Why?**_

A song started playing from the inside. It was loud enough to be heard clearly. She recognized the song. It was _Hero_ sung by the guy from Nickleback. But this version happened to be a little slower than the original.

_I am so high… I can hear heaven… _

_I am so high… I can hear heaven… _

_Oh, but heaven, no heaven don't hear me_

The second misgiving came into her head. It was her two encounters with the Batman.

_**What hell was that?**_

She didn't get it. Why was she lingering on a simple object that like the can of pepper spray?

_And they say that a hero can save us_

_I'm gonna stand here and wait_

_I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles_

_Watch as we all fly away_

It was because somehow the pepper spray led her to Batman. Nothing excited happened because her mind was solely on that can of pepper spray. It would never wander and that confused her; scared her.

_**Why?**_

How can something so little bring back memories of something that confused her and gave her strange feelings?

It didn't make any sense. Why couldn't she forget that man in black?

_**Because I don't want to.**_

Anne's eyes flew open.

Did she just admit that she had feelings for a man she barely knew, and who wore a mask and cape to fight crime?

She looked out into the city with a quizzical look. She wasn't sure.

_Someone told me that love would all save us._

_But how can that be?_

"Hey, Anne!"

She turned from the view of the city and looked at her friends Lisa, Louisa, and Christine take sits in front of her.

"Nice view?" Christine asked.

Anne looked back at the city. She smiled softly at it. Despite the darkness the city had to it, it was still beautiful.

_**Batman roams this city at night…**_

_Look what love gave us._

_A world full of killing, and blood-spilling, that_

_World never came_

Anne held off her look of surprise.

"Yeah," she replied. "Gotham doesn't look so bad tonight."

"So, what's the deal?" Louisa asked as she took a sip of her glass of red wine.

"Deal what?" Vera replied.

_And they say that a hero can save us_

_I'm not gonna stand here and wait_

_I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles_

_Watch as we all fly away_

"Why are you out here by your lonesome self?" her friend replied. "Why don't you stay inside with the rest of us?"

Anne smiled slightly.

"What's wrong?" she questioned. "Do you all feel neglected?"

Her three friends rolled there eyes at her sarcasm.

"Oh, we all just yearn for your attention…" Christine replied. "It hurts that you ignore us so!"

Anne laughed before she could reply her eyes were stricken. Her eyes were stricken by the sudden memory how something looked like in the sky.

_**The Batsignal.**_

_Now that the world isn't ending, it's love that I'm sending to you._

_It isn't the love of a hero, that's why I fear it won't do._

_**I wonder if it just came up…**_

"Well…well…well…I thought I'd never see the day."

Anne frowned slightly. She broke her gaze from the memory and looked back at the person who spoke: Louisa.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Louisa looked at her like she was an idiot.

"You're in love." Louisa firmly stated; her eyes sparkling at happiness for her friend.

"What?" Anne cried. "What possibly put that in your mind?"

Louisa smiled. She pointed at Christine and Lisa.

"They were the ones that told me that you were in love," she blamed. "At first, I didn't believe them, but now – now I see the truth in their words."

_And they say that a hero can save us_

_I'm not gonna stand here and wait_

_I'll hold on to the wings of eagles_

_Watch as we all fly away_

"What are you talking about?" Anne responded.

She looked from Louisa to Christine to Lisa and back to Louisa in curiosity.

"Come on, guys! Who do you guys think I'm in love with?" she asked.

Louisa, Christine, and Lisa looked at each other with knowing grins.

Then it clicked. Her silence was very incriminating. It couldn't be anyone, but about the person she told them about.

She swerved her head to them; eyes wide and mouth a little open. She shook her head.

"You guys think that I'm in love with Batman," she stated slowly. She inwardly glared at her friends when they all nodded.

"How can I be in love with the Batman? He flies around in a cape and cowl at night parading as a rodent with wings!" she then scoffed. "A murderer at that."

_And they're watching us (Watching us)_

_They're watching us (watching us) as we all fly away_

Lisa put her hands up.

"Whoa! Aren't you getting a little to wind up?" she asked. She glanced at Louisa and Christine. "Yup, she's in love," she mentioned with glee.

Anne rolled her eyes at their over imaginative minds.

"I'm not in love with _anyone_," she said emphasizing on the word anyone as she stood her ground.

_And they're watching us (Watching us)_

_They're watching us (watching us) as we all fly away_

"No, you're in awe!" Christine remarked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Awe…" Anne repeated

"No, you're not in awe!" Louisa added. "You're in lust."

_And they're watching us (Watching us)_

_They're watching us (watching us) as we all fly away_

Anne shook her head. She took in a slow breath. She wasn't even going to bother repeating. She would just let them go on. Interrupting was not an option especially when her friends were on a roll with their amusement.

_**Wouldn't want to stop that…**_

"Mesmerized!"

Christine laughed. "Tantalized!"

"Given a dose of Batman fever!" Louisa added.

Anne eyes widened. She shook her head at her friends' antics.

"Oh, you're in heat!" Lisa cried.

Christine nodded. "Someone call the love doctor!"

"Enough guys…I'm not in love with anyone. Don't let me repeat myself again." Anne finally said after the collective sighs of her friends.

"Sure, sure…" Christine said in a disbelieving mood. "Look at your hand."

"Why?" Anne asked.

"You're still holding that can of pepper spray!" her friends replied simultaneously.

Anne frowned, but listened to them anyway. She then looked at one of her hands. In that hand was her drink. She was about to mention that there was no can of pepper spray in her hand when she looked at the other hand.

_**Oh, crap.**_

There it was.

She looked back to her gal pals. She saw their faces glow with humor, amusement, and most of all – knowing.

"So do you have an excuse for that?" Christine asked. "Sure, Batman's a 'murderer', but man – he's one sexy catch."

Anne took a tentative sip of her drink. She then smiled slightly at them as she put the pepper spray in her shirt pocket.

"You guys are insane," she replied steadily; showing no hint of acknowledgement to their words and the truths.

_**But am I too?**_ She shook herself inwardly. No, she wasn't in love with the Batman.

"C'mon!" she then said as she got off the balcony wall. She smiled at her friends and walked to slider. "Bret wanted to play Twister. Let's not disappoint him."

Lisa frowned. "You're avoiding the subject."

Anne laughed. "Yes, I am, but I do want to beat all of your butts at Twister for I am the Twister Queen!"

They all laughed together and went back inside.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Later that night, after everyone left and after everything was cleaned up, Anne took a hot shower and put on her night gown.

She glanced at the pepper spray that was standing on the table beside her bed. She frowned at it and quickly went to it and put it the drawer. She didn't like the things that went with that can.

"This is insane," she muttered to herself. "I'm not in love."

_**It's just an infatuation. Nothing more…**_

Her ears then caught the sound of the wind. She looked to her balcony sliding door and found it to be a little open. She decided that she wanted to feel the wind before she goes to bed.

A whistle like sound came from that balcony. She looked at the slider. She wasn't sure if that sound was from the wind or from something else.

Curious and needing the feel of the wind through her hair, Anne slid the door open and walked out into the balcony.

Her eyes weren't accustomed to the darkness for a few seconds as she closed the sliding door. But once they were, she was shocked at what she would see.

There he was.

Batman.

_**Holy crap!**_

He was crouched on the balcony wall. His eyes were on her. His body stone-like.

Anne was shocked. How did he know where she lived? What was he doing there in the first place? She wanted to ask these questions but she found that she had no voice. She couldn't speak. So she just stared back at the dark man before her.

Batman looked at her up and down slowly.

Anne found herself shivering as he did that.

Batman then turned and stood up. His cape gracefully flew along with the wind. Anne couldn't help but think that he looked like some kind of god.

Realizing that he was about to leave, Anne finally spoke, but it was in a whisper.

"Wait!" she said.

Batman didn't respond.

_**Great, I just told him to wait. Why would he wait? He doesn't know me.**_

"You never got to hear me say thank you," she continued slowly and hopefully.

She hoped that Batman wouldn't disappear. She didn't want him to go just yet. She wanted him to stay.

After a few horrible seconds that felt like hours to Anne, Batman turned his body half way to look at her. He tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"I heard," he replied in that hoarse voice of his.

Anne nearly crumbled. She didn't understand it, but she did feel butterflies in her stomach.

Before he could turn away, Anne cried, "You don't even know my name!"

_**Why do I want you to know my name?**_

Batman stopped himself again. He just looked at her expectantly; his dark eyes penetrating her through and through. He gave her a little nod; telling her that he'll wait to hear her name.

Anne walked towards him slowly with purpose. She looked deep into the dark eyes of the man who had saved her.

Hesitantly, she put a finger on his strong jaw. Batman didn't even flinch. He just stood still; watching her. Anne then put her whole hand on his cheek.

It was a strange thing for her. To touch a man like that when she didn't even know him was unthinkable, but she did do it. And Batman didn't resist. No, instead he let her as he eyed her piercingly.

She drew her face closer to his, but stopped before it could get too close. Yet, they were close enough. She could feel his breath. She could see his eyes more clearly. They were not brown. They were hazel. They were shadowed. They made her quiver.

"My name's Anne," she finally said in a low voice.

Batman didn't say anything at first. He didn't pull away from her, but he didn't lean in either. He just let his eyes roam. His eyes caught everything about her.

Anne felt his eyes. She shivered more and more as his eyes looked on her. She watched as his eyes finally rest on her face. She watched as he analyzed her face. She didn't know that she could ever feel as vulnerable as she did now.

After looking long at her, Batman let himself give her a slight smile. He felt her breath on his face. He felt her hand on his cheek. He found himself liking it.

Once Batman smiled, Anne felt relieved. It was like she past a test or something; like she was given approval. She had gotten Batman's approval.

Batman then leaned his face a little more towards hers and replied, "I'm Batman."

Anne closed her eyes for a moment as she felt his breath. She then opened them when he replied to her. The warmth of his breath melted her immediately.

With that, Batman pulled himself away from her. He turned and jumped off.

Anne got closer to the balcony wall and watched him glide away into the dark.

She closed her eyes and found that she could still feel his breath on her face.

She opened her eyes in surprise and slight confusion.

What was she doing? What was she thinking?

She was not in love with the Batman. How could she be? She barely knew him.

_**But then why do I feel the way I do?**_

She shook her head stubbornly. No, she didn't love the man in the mask. She was just attracted. That was it. She was just majorly attracted to a man – no, a vigilante slash hero.

_**Yeah, that's it. Attraction – nothing more.**_

But as she walked back into her bedroom, she couldn't help but wonder if she was just lying to herself.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: Wow that was one chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it. Reviews keep me going and they will be responded to and appreciated! Take care!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman and I never will.

**A/N**: Yes, the story is still the same as the original, but there are a few changes since I last watched the Dark Knight. It was an amazing movie. The best superhero movie ever! The best movie of the summer – the year! A few things had to change because this story is after the Dark Knight. I foolishly wrote stuff when I didn't know what happened. But luckily, I didn't have to change too much.

**A/N-2**: Once again, I hope you all enjoy! Reviews are appreciated!

Bruce had been reeling from his encounter as Batman with Anne that occurred two weeks ago for those days.

He had been thinking, analyzing, criticizing, and most of all – being confused and unsure about everything.

_**What am I doing? **_

What was he doing at her balcony? Why was he determined to find out where she lived?

Bruce looked at the purposely plugged sink. It was filled with the coldest water that he could get.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and sighed. He looked at the water and plunged his head into it.

The water ran over his head. It filled his ears as he didn't try to breath. Bruce let the water take over him.

_It was like instinct… He arrived there without any help. _

_He was surveying the city and soon had a __feeling__._

_This feeling led him to a particular balcony. He looked at it and landed at it before he could think of why._

_And then there was…_

_**Anne…**_

_She came out in a night gown. The wind blew the gown in such a way that he almost shuddered._

_That harsh countenance of hers faded away because her green eyes brightened. It made her look so beautiful that he had to look at her up and down._

_He then realized that maybe it wasn't such a good idea._

_**But I couldn't leave. She told me to wait.**_

_And he did._

_"You never got to hear me say thank you," she had said in a voice that just sounded sultry to him._

_He replied simply, "I heard."_

_**I went to leave again, but still she stopped me when she mentioned that I didn't know her name. **_

_But he did, and she didn't know it._

_Then she got close to him. Her emerald eyes looked into his as she put a finger on his jaw._

_He felt his insides twist and turn at the touch, but self discipline kept him together._

_**Her whole hand on my face…**_

_She had drawn his face towards hers. They weren't too close, but close enough to feel each other's breath and not feel uncomfortable._

_**Her eyes were so green. They sparkled…**_

_"My name's Anne."_

_He inwardly smiled._

_He couldn't help himself. He just looked at her all over. He had to take it all in. And when he finally arrived at her face, he realized the harsh quality it had; from the crispness to the strange nose that is only half sharp to the tiny mole that was at the corner of her lips. _

_He had to admit that her face could have been ugly. It did have a certain ugliness to it; a certain untamed quality that just breathed her in and shaped her. _

_But the ugliness was colliding with a set of beauty. Her whole face was elegant. Her jaw was uniquely strong which went well with her wide cheekbones. Her hair was a wonderful shade of raven black hair that went all the way down to her waist. _

_**And those eyes…**_

_Emerald eyes that seemed to hold a number of different shades were probably his favorite feature. Those emerald eyes were soft, but they could be as hard as anything he had seen. They were bright, and amazingly sharp. Emerald seemed to be the best color in the world thanks to she bore it._

_**It was her eyes that made me smile – slightly.**_

_He felt her breath and her hand on his face. He liked it._

_He smiled. He leaned closer to her. As he returned his name she closed her eyes. _

_**And then I left.**_

Bruce opened his eyes. The need to for air took hold. He quickly pulled his face out of the sink and shook his head.

His heart was beating fast. His mouth was a little open. His mind was racing.

_**Anne…**_

He blinked away whatever was left in his eyes.

And to make it all worse was his other encounter with her as Bruce Wayne. He could tell from their first meeting that she didn't like him as Bruce Wayne.

_**She hates me… yet she doesn't mind Batman…**_

Suddenly Rachel came back into his head.

God, he missed Rachel.

It's been five months since her death, but he still hasn't forgotten. He had raced to save her, but instead found Dent.

He felt bad for Dent too. Dent did not know that Rachel was waiting for him. And he'll never know.

There were so many things he never got to say to Rachel. He never got to tell her how much he loved her; how much he needed her.

_**But she's dead.**_

And he knew that couldn't linger on the past. He had to move on, but it still hurt. The memory still hurt.

_**Emerald eyes.**_

A decision was needed to be made.

He wasn't sure how he felt about Anne Vera, but he was caught, and he knew that he didn't want to be untangled. He liked Anne and he liked that he couldn't stop thinking about her.

_**But I barely know her. She hates me and she likes Batman. What good is that?**_

And the disturbing part was he wasn't sure if he could get over Rachel.

Would he still stick to her memory and never move on?

He didn't know.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed! Reviews are appreciated and they keep me going!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N**: I have edited a lot of stuff, but now I'm back on track. I've just watched the Dark Knight, and I intend to watch it more times starting by this weekend with my Dad. I'm going to buy the Dark Knight book, and hopefully the Batman Begins book. So, I've got it all back now. I'm writing for Perfect.

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

**Four days after the Batman on the balcony incident**

_Anne walked into the office of the Commissioner of the Gotham police department._

_There he was. Commissioner James Gordon was sitting down behind his desk. He was looking through some files. _

_He looked worn, but determined. _

_Anne wasn't sure if she should be here. But it was too late. Gordon looked up and smiled slightly in surprise._

_"Ms. Vera?" he asked._

_He remembered her._

_Anne looked around herself; suddenly feeling self conscious. She also felt slightly embarrassed because of her reason of coming._

_The Commissioner looked at her expectantly in a polite way._

_"Yes?" he asked._

_Anne rubbed the back of her neck; tried to pull up his purse higher on his shoulder._

_"I've come here to, uh, give my – belated – uh, statement," she replied._

_Gordon laughed slightly at her sentence and how she said it._

_"Belated?" he repeated._

_Anne opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. __**Yeah, it's ridiculous. **__She nodded._

_"Okay, very – very belated statement," she restated as she laughed hesitantly._

_Gordon nodded. _

_"Come take a seat," he replied._

_Anne did just that. She went to the chair on the left and sat in front of him. She put her purse on her lap._

_"So where do I start from?" she asked unsurely. She ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry, never had to give a statement before."_

_Gordon smiled and was about to say something when another person's voice was heard._

_"It's because you never had to." _

_Gordon looked up and Anne turned to the doorway._

_A man was standing there. He was tall, olive skinned; brown eyed, and had dirty blonde hair. He wore a suit and was leaning against the doorway with his hands in his pocket._

_Anne smiled at the sight._

_"Edward Vincent Jones!" she cried in response and glee._

_The Commissioner looked at the man curiously. He saw the man around before, but never met the man – until now._

"_ADA," he greeted._

_Anne smiled. _

"_Oh, so you're an assistant D.A. now are you, Eddie?" she asked. _

_She was delighted to see him. She was also shocked so she didn't bother to greet him even though she wanted to. _

_Eddie grinned and winked._

"_Well, Ms. Vera, I've come along way from Metropolis," he replied in New Yorker kind of voice. _

_Gordon watched the two look long at each other. He was about to talk, but Anne was quicker._

"_Traded Metropolis for Gotham, eh?" she playfully. "Finally you chose the right town."_

_Eddie grinned wider._

"_Yeah, the intrigue of convicting Batman instead of Superman just blew me over," he joked back._

_He moved his attention to the Commissioner._

"_Sorry, Commish," he said. "I couldn't help, but be happy to see my old friend Anne." He then took them both in view. "Oh, which reminds me," he added. "Your statement isn't needed."_

"_Why?" both Anne and Gordon asked._

_Eddie nodded._

"_It's seems your five attackers, Anne, happen to be paroles – just the fact of them being out and about – breaks."_

"_So…" Anne said._

"_No statement needed." Gordon answered as Eddie nodded._

_Anne nodded, "Oh."_

_Eddie walked over to them. He lent his hand to the Commissioner._

"_I'm ADA Jones." _

_Gordon nodded and took Eddie's hand. _

_They shook. _

_After shaking hands, Gordon sat back down and Eddie looked at Anne with a smile._

_Anne looked at him and smiled back._

"_What no hand shake?" she asked._

"_No." Jones replied. _

_He bent down and gave Anne a kiss on the cheek. _

"_Well, I've got some business." Eddie said. _

_He turned back to the commissioner and nodded._

"_I hope to speak with you soon on other matters," he said._

_Gordon nodded. "Will do."_

_Edward Vincent Jones nodded at both of them. He closed the door, and walked away._

_Anne closed one eye with a tilt of her head. She then opened her eyes and looked at Gordon._

"_Uh…I can give it anyway," she suggested._

_Gordon smiled._

"_Ah, I knew they were paroles," he said. "That's why I didn't have you get reminded."_

"_Oh." Anne said. "That makes sense."_

_An awkward silence came between them. Anne took in a deep breath._

_James looked long at Anne curiously. He was thinking about that night. It was all clearly in his mind. He had a suspicion. _

_Anne caught his look._

"_Yes, Commissioner?" she asked._

"_I'm curious. Do you know karate or something?" he asked._

"_No. I wish I did."_

"_Two had pepper spray. Obviously from you, but the other three were injured; either their arms or their legs were broken." Gordon explained._

_**Batman did that!**_

_Her eyes brightened._

_Gordon noticed and nodded. _

"_As I expected…" he remarked. "You had help."_

_Anne's sharp emerald met Gordon's bright and deep blue eyes. _

"_I don't know what you're talking about," she responded._

_Gordon sat up straighter and leaned himself forward._

"_No one is listening," he assured._

_Anne nodded, "Yes, but the walls still have ears."_

"_Well, there's nothing wrong with having friends." _

_Gordon smiled. "Yeah, nothing wrong…especially when that friend could be mutual."_

"_Are you insinuating that I'm gallivanting with a certain covered vermin?" Anne asked as she looked deeper into the Commissioner's eyes; trying to find out where he's headed._

_The Commissioner didn't nod, but from the look in his eyes Anne could tell that they were thinking of the same thing._

"_I don't tell secrets," he replied. "Do you?"_

_Anne immediately knew what he talking about. _

"_No," she steadily said. "I don't."_

_Gordon finally nodded. He then looked around his office._

"_I've been here for God knows how long, and I'm still not used to it."_

_Anne smiled._

_"Big shoes to fill; big role to be in." _

_They looked at each other again and then laughed. _

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Seven days after the Batman on the balcony incident….**_

_Anne was in the office of ADA Edward Vincent Jones._

_She was waiting for him. She looked around his office which was filled with files and papers. _

_On his desk was a Ferbie. She grimaced at that. Also on his desk was mug that said: Greatest Dad Ever!_

_She smiled. __**So you have a family now. **_

"_Well, Vera, darling, it's been too long." _

_Anne smiled as she heard Eddie walk up and kiss her on the cheek. After, he sat in front of her._

"_Yeah, too long, but now – we're here in Gotham no less." Anne replied._

_Eddie smiled back. His chocolate eyes seemed deeper than they were before._

"_What do you think about this city?" he asked._

"_I was about to ask you the same thing." Anne replied._

"_You first."_

_Anne nodded in acceptance._

"_Urban decay is here at times…" she said. "But obviously there is a bit of Metropolis in this city somewhere."_

_"Crime." Eddie put in._

_"Oh, yes, crime's there. But we've got some hope. Harvey Dent's memory. The new commissioner – the good cop: James Gordon…" she explained._

_"And Batman." Eddie added._

_Anne turned to see if the door was closed, and it was. She looked back at Eddie._

_"He's a vigilante – a wanted man – a murderer," she replied._

_Eddie nodded, "But he was once called a hero – a symbol of hope."_

_Anne didn't reply. She didn't reply because a thought came into her head: __**He's more than that to me.**_ _After thinking that thought, she wanted to slap herself. What was she thinking?_

_Eddie saw something in her silence._

_"I see in your eyes the same thing I see in Commissioner Gordon's eyes," he said._

_Anne blinked. _

_"What's that?" she asked._

_Eddie didn't answer at first. He just rubbed his chin thoughtfully._

_"What?" Anne asked again._

_"Trust." Eddie finally said. "I see trust in both your eyes."_

_"Come again?" Anne asked in surprise._

_Eddie looked at her strongly._

_"You know what I mean," he replied. "I see it." He noticed Anne look slightly cautious. "The three of us don't believe Batman is the bad guy. We believe that he's the hero that Gotham deserves."_

_Anne looked back at him curiously and the smiled._

_"Okay…" she said. "I'm glad you believe that."_

_Eddie nodded. "Someday maybe we'll meet him."_

_Anne nodded back. She smiled wider at him. _

_**Oh, I've met him.**_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………_._

_**Eight days after the Batman on the balcony incident…..**_

_It was night time at Gotham P.D. _

_Commissioner James Gordon was standing on the roof of Major Crimes Unit. He was there with an excuse to think after he visited his old department. _

**And it all works thanks to me warning them not to interrupt me.**

_He looked at the broken floodlight. He made sure it wasn't moved. He told the others that it was there to signify what they were after; of what the Batman did._

_Ever since that night when Batman indicated that he was going to take the fall he had been thinking about his relationship with the Batman._

_At first he wasn't sure what the Batman was to the city of Gotham. But as the days went by, he saw what the Batman really was. _

**A guardian.**

_He realized after that night when Batman ran away, he knew that Batman was more a guardian. _

**He's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him because he can take it. Because he's not our hero, he's a silent guardian, a watchful protector….a dark knight.**

_And for the past month after that night, one night he couldn't help but wonder who really was the Batman. Who decided to pick up that duty – to put on the mask?_

_But he didn't think too much on it though. He just wondered._

_"It's a shame that you had to destroy that."_

_He blinked away from the floodlight, and turned to the door._

_To his surprise, he saw Anne Vera standing before him._

_"Ms. Vera?" he said._

_Anne smiled, and laughed softly._

_"Some people down there told me not to interrupt, but luckily I have my charms," she said._

_Jim Gordon smiled back._

_"Okay," he simply said._

_Anne shut the door and walked toward the floodlight. She looked at the symbol of the bat. She reached out at the symbol hesitantly, and before she could touch it she glanced at Gordon for permission._

_Gordon smile never left him. He nodded back._

_Anne smiled unsurely and finally touched it. The black cool steel felt strangely exhilarating. _

_"Batman…" she whispered._

_"You've seen…" Gordon started, but didn't finish his sentence for Anne turned around and nodded._

_Anne walked to his side and looked out into the night; into the buildings of Gotham._

_"Glances…instances…, but only three real meetings…" she whispered as the wind started to pick up and blew her long black hair._

_Gordon turned around and looked out as well. _

_The city was exceptionally dark that night. Sure, the lights of the buildings were there, but it was still dark; like something was missing._

_Of what – neither Anne nor Gordon knew._

_"I would like to extend an invitation to you." Anne suddenly said._

_Gordon glanced at her. "Invitation?" he asked._

_Anne nodded with a soft smile. _

_"You and your wife," she explained. "I would like to formally invite both of you to the auction at Purple Metro."_

_Gordon looked at her._

_"What?" Anne asked._

_"You and I barely know each other." Gordon replied._

_Anne laughed._

_"I barely know the mayor and yet he's coming too," she said._

_When he thought about it, Gordon laughed as well._

_"Are you hinting that I should keep up appearances?" he asked._

_Anne's eye widened. She shook her head._

_"No…I wouldn't do that," she replied. "Besides our mutual friend…I wonder what else we have to talk…have in common, Commissioner."_

_"Jim." Gordon corrected._

_Anne smiled, and corrected back, "Anne."_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………_._

_**Three hours before the auction….**_

Anne smiled as her friends entered her home.

They were a much needed distraction from what happened between her and Batman.

Did she tell them? No, she never told them. She knew what their reaction would be. They would scream, ask questions, hit her, and scream even more.

She didn't think she could handle that.

But she had to tell somebody.

_**And I did – partly. **_

_Last night…_

_She was looking for Gordon. Ever since that night on top of the building near the floodlight, they've grown to be quite close. An instant connection was between them that it was easy enough to spark and develop a friendship._

_It was weird for both of them to be friends so quickly, but they both knew that the friendship was real – that it was natural._

_She didn't find him in his office and she didn't find him on top of the building. So, thinking that he was busy doing something else she went to the elevator._

_"Anne!"_

_She looked at the person who was in the elevator with her. _

_Jim Gordon._

_"Jim!" she said in surprise. _

_Jim didn't get out of the elevator. He stayed in it with Anne. He pressed the button to go down to the first floor._

_Anne gave him a kiss on the cheek._

_"How've you been?" she asked._

_Jim smiled. "Good. You?"_

_Anne smiled back. "So-so."_

_"So-so?" Jim asked with cock of an eyebrow._

_"Do you still see him?" Anne asked slowly._

_Jim didn't have to ask him who _he_ was._

_"Every now and again, but not as long as it used to be." Jim replied. "Why?"_

_A beeping noise was made. They both got out of the elevator and into the first floor. They walked towards the exit and left the premises. _

_The wind was blowing hard that night. Anne rubbed her arms. Jim looked at her and then gave her his coat. _

_She gave him his thanks and they started walking south of the building._

_"He found my home." Anne mentioned._

_Jim nodded. "Yeah, he does that." He looked at her closely. "What happened?" he asked._

_Anne considered telling him exactly everything, but she knew she couldn't. But she had to tell him something._

_"I told him my name. He told me his. It was strange," she said. "It was the third time I saw him, but it was at my home."_

_"I don't know why that happened." Jim said. "But it happened."_

_"Do you think something's up?" Anne asked. "Why come to my home?"_

_Jim thought about it. Why would Batman visit Anne at her home? He couldn't think of a reason, but obviously from the look Anne was giving him he knew that she wanted some kind of answer._

_"He does what he can. Whatever he does – it's for a reason." He saw the question in Anne's eyes. "I don't what the reason is, but I'll choose to trust in him."_

_He didn't see anything else in her eyes after he answered. So, he just pulled her into a hug because for some reason he knew she needed it._

Anne pulled herself out of the memory and looked at her other friends.

She thought about how far they've all gone for each other; about their history.

She smiled at it all.

Lisa Bell was a native of San Francisco. She didn't live there at first. She was born in Oakland, but moved to San Francisco when she was about four.

Her mother was a psychologist, and her father was a chef. They tried to convince her to take one of their jobs, but she chose to be a dance instructor.

She was copper skinned thanks to the fact that she had Indian blood in her and that her father happened to be from the Philippines. She had short brown hair and hazel eyes.

_**Obsessive and eccentric…**_

Louisa Hewson was a native of Miami. She loved pretending that she was a superhero flying across town saving the innocent – for that's what her father did. Her father was a policeman. Her mother worked for the FBI. It was all pretty fantastic for a girl like her. Her family helped people. And she knew one day she would.

She didn't become a cop or a federal agent. Instead she became a nurse. She became a nurse who knew the hardships. She was going to help people – heal people.

She was of an Irish decent so her skin was fair. Her eyes were black and her hair was fiery red and it fell to her shoulders, but she usually kept it in a tie.

_**Overprotective and controlling…**_

Christine Buell was a native of Boston. She had everything in her life connected to Boston. Sure, she now lived in Gotham, but that didn't mean she rooted for any of Gotham's teams. No, she rooted for all things Massachusetts.

She was a slim and agile woman who was white, had grey eyes, and a boy cut blonde hair.

She was a columnist for one of Gotham's favorite magazines: **Qualities**. It wasn't a strange name. It actually made sense. The magazine didn't just focus on politics and gossip. It focused on many other things.

_**Sarcastic and obnoxious…**_

Samantha O'Neil was a native of Gotham. She was the _history teacher _of the group. No one knew history like she did.

It was no surprise really. She was a daughter of an archaeologist and a historian. She wanted to be like them, but she settled for something that intrigued her ever since she first saw the movie _Ben-Hur_.

So she's a producer.

She was an African American with black hair and chocolate eyes. Her hair wasn't too long or too short. She had it highlighted with the color red.

_**Arrogant and overbearing…**_

Anne smiled wider. Her friends were her friends. They were different, but amazing.

_**I wouldn't give them up for the world.**_

_**An hour later…**_

"Today's the day, Annie!" Lisa cried as she curled her friend's hair with a curling iron.

Christine glared at Lisa as she braided Louisa hair.

"How many times does she have to tell you that she doesn't like to be called Annie?" she cried.

Lisa raised her hands up.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" she replied. "You know me. I have the worst memory in the world."

Anne smiled as Samantha rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you a little young to have Alzheimer's?" Sam asked.

Louisa grinned.

"Since when was Lisa young?" she asked.

Lisa huffed, "I've had enough of your juvenile antics."

"Look who's talking, the Queen of Juvenile." Anne responded.

"Juvenile doesn't cut it," Lisa replied. "The four of you are just being…."

Louisa, Sam, Christine, and Anne looked at her expectantly.

Lisa tried to say something, but she couldn't. She was at a loss for words.

"Yup, Alzheimer's is kicking." Sam said as she put on her makeup. "We should call the doctor."

Lisa's eyes widened.

"You'll do no such thing!" she cried.

Anne laughed. "No, we won't. We're all legally insane anyways."

Christine smiled. "Well, don't tell anyone that. I don't think Sam's husband knows what he married into."

"He's…getting there…" Sam replied. "Suspicions rise ever now and then…but no answer about the craziness that you all bring him."

"Thank God!" Louisa said. "We wouldn't want to dispose of him so soon. I like him."

Anne rolled her eyes. "Thoughts of evil deeds! Wonderful!"

"Isn't it?" the other four asked which resulted in everyone laughing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce fixed his purple satin tie.

His mind was captivated by the goal that made to himself tonight. He was going to make a move – a move that would bring Anne Vera's attention on him. He would start the progress of them getting to know each other.

_**She doesn't like my already. **_

He smiled slightly.

_**Then she'll really hate me when the night's done.**_

"An auction, Master Wayne?"

Bruce looked at Alfred through the mirror. He nodded.

"Yes, Alfred. An auction," he replied.

Alfred smiled. "So are you planning to buy everything?"

"I am playing the playboy, Alfred."

"Yes, you are."

Bruce turned to face Alfred.

"I'm only intent on buying one thing and that's it. There'll be no worry for the others – money wise."

"Very well, sir."

They walked together to the elevator and on to Purple Metro.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**An hour into the event…Auction starts soon…**_

Anne looked around; searching for two certain people. She was looking for James and Barbara Gordon. She had invited both of them and she hoped that they could come.

Then she found them. They were near the southeast entrance looking around. She smiled and walked to them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gordon!" she greeted.

The said people smiled at her. Jim let go of his wife's arms and gave Anne a hug.

"Anne," he said.

She gave back the hug.

"Jim," she said back.

They pulled back from the hug as Barbara and Anne looked at each other for the first time.

"I've heard a lot about you." Barbara said.

Anne smiled. "I hope it's all good."

Barbara smiled back. "It is."

"Well that's good. I hope you both enjoy the auction and the free dinner after."

Jim raised an eyebrow.

"Free?" he asked curiously. "Usually these things cost…"

Anne laughed.

"Yeah, they do, but I was able to convince the owner to pay for everyone's plate." Anne replied.

She gave Barbara a hug and Jim a kiss, and left them on their own to look around the artwork that were still on display.

She made her way to the public bar. She found her four friends standing near the bar with drinks in their hands.

Christine smiled. "What's your poison?"

Anne smiled back. "What are the choices?"

Christine looked at the drink in her hand and in the others.

"Well, you get a fancy Cosmo like me," she said. "A sensual dry Martini that Louisa has. Cliché red wine like Lisa. Or a business Scotch like Sam."

Anne grinned and looked at the bartender.

"I'll have a small beer."

Christine grinned back. "Classic."

"Me." Anne replied.

The five of them laughed, but then Anne suddenly stopped. Her eye caught something that she didn't like one bit.

Louisa followed her gaze and frowned.

"Wayne's here," she said.

"Of course, he'd be here." Sam said. "He's one of the wealthiest men in the world."

Christine scoffed, "And a playboy. He wants to be at the hippest thing."

Anne rolled her eyes as Bruce Wayne walked to the area where the auction would take place.

_**It's gonna be a long night.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed this! I enjoyed writing this! Reviews are appreciated and they keep me going! I appreciate your opinions! Until next time!\


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N**: Another chapter is up. I hope to have another chapter up for Loyal Friends soon. Until next time! Reviews are really appreciated!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

Despite the misgivings in her mind, for Anne things have been going will this night.

She had a total of three hundred paintings that originated at her current age to when she was sixteen. Only a choice thirty were going to be auctioned.

Twenty seven have already been sold.

The whole deal of this auction is for as told by Sam to strengthen her reputation as an artist although to tell the truth she really didn't care. But she must admit that it wasn't that bad. Besides all the money received thanks to the auction would be spilt between her and Shaun.

Anne stood between Sam and Christine. She looked at the many people who have come to the auction. People from Lisa to Gordon and his wife to unknowns to the freeloader Bruce Wayne were here.

Bruce smiled slightly at the painting. This was the one he wanted.

"And the next piece is considered by many to be one of Anne Vera's best artistic achievements. We are lucky to have her permission to auction it off," the auctioneer said. "We'll start at one thousand."

A bald man pulls down his glasses.

"One thousand," the auctioneer acknowledges.

A woman tipped her blue hat.

"Two thousand."

Another person raised his hand.

"Three thousand."

A weathered man in a dark green suit raised his paddle, and said, "Ten thousand."

Anne kept her surprise hidden.

Christine whispered, "Ten thousand already."

Sam grinned, "Congrats, Anne."

Anne replied softly, "I didn't think it was that good."

"Ten thousand and five," the auctioneer said in acknowledgement to a woman in red.

The bald man raised his hand.

"Twenty thousand."

Christine's eyes and Sam's grin widened.

"Damn." Sam simply said.

Anne rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortable.

"That's a lot of money!" she hissed.

The weathered man in green spoke up.

"A hundred thousand," he said.

The auctioneer nodded, "A hundred thousand."

Anne gulped.

_**Money isn't everything.**_

"Sure, it isn't, but money is – helpful." Christine replied.

_**I said that out loud.**_

"Yes, you said it out loud like you said that you said it out loud." Sam said.

Anne didn't bother responding.

"A hundred thousand," the auctioneer repeated. "A hundred thousand."

"The painting isn't even that good…" Anne muttered.

The woman with a blue hat tipped it again.

"A hundred thousand and five," the auctioneer said.

"Is it okay for me to ask you for a share?" Christine asked.

Anne rolled her eyes; not even bothering to answer the question.

Way back in the room someone raised his or her paddle.

"Two hundred thousand," the auctioneer returned.

"Wow." Sam muttered.

The woman in red nodded.

The auctioneer made a note, and said, "Two and five."

The person way in the back raised his or her paddle, and said, "Five hundred thousand."

Anne's ears perked up at the voice. Her mouth twitched. She knew it wasn't going to smile.

_**There's something about that voice…**_

"Five hundred thousand," the auctioneer repeated. "Half a million…"

The auctioneer looked around especially at the woman in red, the woman with the blue hat, and the bald man to see if they would object.

But no one objected.

The auctioneer nodded.

"Very well," he said. "Sold for a half a million to…"

Everyone turned to the back.

After a few seconds, the person who bought the painting stood up.

Anne shook her head when she saw who it was.

She couldn't believe it.

It was Bruce Wayne, and he had a smug grin on his face.

"Freeloader wins again." Christine said.

Anne nodded, but refused to answer. A feeling of annoyance had successfully taken hold of her.

_**What is he thinking?**_

The auctioneer started to explain what the next piece was about, but Anne was barely listening.

In fact, she felt herself seething.

Bruce Wayne bought the same piece that confused him.

And that just infuriated Anne more when she remembered her conversation with him about it.

_**Complicated my butt.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The auction was over, and everybody was going to eat. But Anne wasn't that hungry. No, she was searching; trying to find a certain annoy-ant in her life.

And there he was. Bruce Wayne was walking out of Purple Metro with an older man holding what she knew to be the piece Wayne bought.

Completely ignoring her friends' call, she followed the two males out of Purple Metro.

The older man was putting the painting in the car and Wayne was about to get in it, but stopped when Anne called out his name.

Bruce smiled slightly to himself and turned to see Anne Vera standing midway on the stairs. He nodded to Alfred and watched the older man get into the car. He then walked towards Anne.

"Yes, Ms. Vera?" he asked pleasantly.

He could see the inner fury she had just by the way her green orbs had darken.

Anne didn't know how, but she kept herself from rolling her eyes at Wayne's smugness.

"You wagered a lot of money for that painting," she said.

Wayne nodded. "Well, it was an auction. That's the only way to win."

Anne pushed her tongue against her cheek.

"You like winning don't you?" she asked even though she knew the answer.

Wayne grinned. "It has its perks."

Anne felt like she wanted to slap that grin off his face. _**I could, but I won't. I can control myself.**_

What she couldn't see was that the grin was just a fake; plastered on a well made facade. But her irritation was overwhelming.

"Why did you buy this painting?" she asked.

Wayne looked at her as if it were obvious.

"It's a beautiful piece of art," he replied.

This time Anne did roll her eyes; not really caring about what Bruce Wayne would think about it.

"If I remember correctly, you said that specific piece confused you." Vera mentioned.

Wayne nodded; grin widening. He sensed the dangerous tone in her voice. She did have a point. "It did until thankfully – you explained it all to me."

"Your welcome." Anne said sarcastically.

"But that doesn't mean I agree with you about simplicity." Wayne added; his voice sounding serious. Of course, he didn't. His life had never been simple. He's been through so much and seen so much. _**Nothing is ever simple. **_

"Of course you don't." Anne scoffed; totally dismissing the tone in his voice. "This is coming from a man who burned his generational manor down to bits." She looked at him piercingly. "I heard you were drunk. But I also heard that you did it deliberately."

Wayne raised an eyebrow at her comment. _**Deliberately? **_He was surprised that such a thought would be. It made sense sure, but that wasn't the case. Didn't the reporters say that he was drunk? _**Deliberate...**_

"Your voice sways to the latter," he said calmly although he didn't feel calm. "But no, that's wrong – it was an accident."

"Drunken accident." Anne replied quickly.

"It's complicated," was the billionaire's simply explanation.

**_Complicated... You don't know how complicated my life is. _**He was three different people. Batman, Wayne, and Bruce. She only saw two, but Bruce - he was totally overshadowed by the others.

Anne raised an eyebrow. Where did she hear that before?

"Complicated." Anne said skeptically.

"Precisely."

"Then you were a drunk that night." Anne surmised.

Wayne eye's flashed. "Yes."

**_Was I drunk? _**No, he wasn't drunk, but he had to say yes. It wouldn't be right to tell her that he had to protect everyone from Ra's Al Ghul who planned to destroy Gotham.

"That's one hell of a complication."

"I loved that Manor. It had been in my family for years. I regret it everyday." Bruce said remorsefully.

He truly regretted his home burning down to the ground. He grieved for the manor. He still missed it.

Anne blinked; about to back off, but she couldn't.

"Some say that's the moment you got out of control."

Wayne looked at her curiously. **_Really?_**

"Some say…" he said. "Or you say…"

"They say."

"What do you think?" Wayne asked after a pause that lasted a few seconds.

He needed to know. He already knew he was intrigued by her. Anne was one of the most intriguing thing he's ever met. He had to know what she really thought.

Anne laughed. "You don't want to know what I think."

Wayne nodded and looked at her challengingly.

"Try me," he replied.

Anne bit her lip, but she wasn't hesitant. She just needed a rest.

Finally she said, "I think you are definitely out of control. I heard about all the good your parents have done, but you – as the Prince of Gotham – went way off track."

"How so?"

"You're a freeloader. You buy so many things that sometimes I think you don't know that there are some people who are stricken with poverty in this city and that they need help."

"There is my foundation." Wayne pointed out. **_If only you knew what I've done for this city._**

"Yes, but who really heads that?" Anne countered. "Everyone knows that _you _may _own _Wayne Enterprises, but Lucius Fox _runs _it." She didn't bother to react to Wayne's frown, and continued with contempt, "See that's your problem, _Wayne…_ So you go to all the _hottest_ places whether it's a club, a restaurant, or hell, even an auction! You just do it because you want to show off your wealth, your _dazzling _good looks… And every reporter should say: _Here comes Bruce Wayne with beautiful girl from who knows where in a really obnoxious polluting car has arrived to show off how really great (even though his isn't) he is_."

Bruce wanted to say something, but he couldn't. Besides, Anne wasn't done.

"Now people suspect that you were off in Brazil running a model agency or that you were gallivanting somewhere in Russia... I don't care." Anne continued in a fury. "You were declared dead... Then after seven years you come back. What happened? What made you this way? What changed? The people in this city had great hopes for you."

"Do you know my history?" Bruce asked.

Anne bit her lip. She then continued, "I know about your parents. Who doesn't? I'm sorry for that."

"Thank you." Wayne replied sincerely yet he could sense a but.

"But that doesn't erase the person you've become." Anne said. "I know what it's like to suffer a traumatic event and I've seen others suffer from it too. Either you are still suffering from what happened to your parents our you've completely came into your selfish own."

Wayne licked his lip thoughtfully. "Which one do you think I belong to?"

Anne laughed. "My sympathies are with you..." she replied. "Fast cars. Fast women. Fast life."

"I do have a job." Bruce interrupted. "And I'm quite able at it. I've done a lot for my company and this city."

"Sadly, when you had to mature when your parents died. You were the only one left. I know what's that like, but you changed again. You matured and then retarded back to a child - a spoiled one; an ignorant one - a child that people admire and say he looks so handsome, but when thought about hard - just another man living life to 'fullest' but only winding up face down - alone."

Bruce couldn't help, but feel hurt at her words. It stung. Sure, he was curious about her traumatic event, but still his mind lingered at her prediction; that he would wind up alone.

Anne breathed in and out; trying to calm herself from her rant. She looked into Wayne's eyes and saw nothing.

He just asked, "Are you done yet?"

Anne blinked at the controlled tone in his voice.

"Yes," she simply replied.

Wayne smiled at her. **_Good, because I've got my own observation. _**He gave her a curt nod, and said, "Well, I'm glad to know how you feel, Ms. Vera. Simplicity is definitely a part of you."

With that, he turned and walked to his car. He entered with a sigh. He closed the door, and the car drove away leaving Anne staring after it in shock and sudden confusion at the realization what had just occurred.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed that. I hope you all review because they keep me going and they are appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N**: Okay, I'm glad a lot of people enjoyed the last chapter. The last chapter was the confrontation of Anne and Bruce, but mostly Anne did the attacking. Okay, this is a short chapter. But the next one will be longer. Reviews are appreciated! I need to know what you think about Anne! Reviews are loved!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

_"Annie…Oh, Annie… you are so beautiful… Do you know how beautiful you really are? Annie… I love you… You're such a beautiful girl…"_

Anne's eyes flew open. She found herself breathing rapidly, but there was no sweat falling from her head this time.

She checked the clock. It was one a.m. Already an hour has passed since the man she hated most went to jail for his crimes.

_Don't want to be an American idiot!_

She grabbed her phone and flipped it open.

"Vera," she greeted.

"Hey, Anne."

It was Eddie.

"Hey, Eddie." Anne replied; laying her head back down on her pillow.

"One hour…"

Anne nodded. "One hour."

"I've got more information…"

"And I want to hear it."

Eddie sighed and then continued, "Dan Harper. He was released from prison two months ago."

Anne sighed back. She knew that would happen. She didn't want it to happen, but it did.

"He's currently living in Metropolis…" Eddie mentioned.

Anne's eyes widened.

"Metropolis?" she exclaimed.

"I know… I know…" Eddie replied. "He's working as a cashier in Target."

Anne closed her eyes.

She remembered all too clearly on who Dan Harper used to be.

He used to be her stepfather. He used to be a person she trusted. But then everything changed when she turned seven.

_**That's when everything changed.**_

"I'm sorry." Eddie said.

Eddie was the only one who knew about it. Anne never told Jim or her gal pals. She couldn't. It was too hard. Besides, she got over it after a lot of soul searching and after a lot of fighting.

"Don't be," she assured. "He's no longer in my life. I'm no longer in his."

Eddie huffed. "He deserves to be in hell for what he did to you and the others."

Anne smiled slightly.

"Maybe…" she answered.

_Annie…You feel so good…_

Anne squeezed her eyes tighter. She felt her heart beating even more rapidly. A sense of fear, anger, and hate entered her.

"Do you need me to come over?" Eddie asked.

"No!" Anne exclaimed; opening her eyes.

"Anne…"

"No," Anne said softly. "It's fine. I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" Eddie asked; not at all sounding convinced.

Anne got out of her bed. She walked to her mini-fridge. She opened it and took out a can of Pepsi.

"Yeah, Eddie, I'm sure," she replied; opening the can.

She then opened the slider door, and walked out into the balcony.

"Uh…" Eddie said. "Alright, but you call me if you need me. I'll be there in ten if you do."

Anne felt the soft breeze against her and smiled. It gave her strength.

"I know."

With that, she hung up.

A tear fell down her cheek.

She wouldn't call him. She knew that. She became strong. She was the one who called the cops to get Harper arrested. She was the one brave enough.

She took a sip of her soft drink; thinking about the little girl that she used to be.

_**Before Dan Harper took everything away.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_"Bruce…"_

_It was Thomas Wayne._

_He was wearing what he usually wore for work: a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck._

_"Bruce…"_

_And then his smile turned to a frown._

_"Do the means justify the ends? You are becoming what one beheld!"_

Bruce woke up in a start.

The same thoughts he had after a woke up from the same dream after making his decision to end Batman and let Harvey Dent take his place were in his mind; ringing.

_**Have I become what I beheld? Really? And if I have, what am I? A fighter for justice, the salvation of my city, a bulwark, a hero, a champion… Or an egotist who enjoys dominating people weaker than I am? Is my whole crusade against crime just an excuse? **_

He pushed the covers off of him, and got out of bed. He walked down to where he looked out in the Gotham Skyline after Rachel's death.

He saw down in the same chair. He looked at his watch. It was four a.m. He only got two hours of sleep.

_"You told me once that if the day came that I was finished… we'd be together."_

_"Bruce, don't make me your one hope for a normal life."_

_"But did you mean it?"_

_"Yes."_

He knew she meant it. She was going to wait for him.

_**But then you died.**_

And his dreams of loving, of a normal life just faded.

He gave hope for all that for five months. He just went on being two of his three personas. He went out as Batman protecting his city, and walked around as the playboy Wayne to cover up.

But what happened to Bruce?

Bruce shut down.

_**Until Anne…**_

He liked her. He already admitted that to himself already. She was attractive in a cerebral – animalistic and royal kind of way.

There was something about that was strangely familiar. But there was also something there that was totally different from any person he had met.

And if there was one thing he liked about her most were her eyes. She had the most alluring, piercing, and green eyes that he had ever seen. They were hypnotizing and terrifying at that same time.

They were first thing he really noticed about her. It was her emerald eyes that got him taken with her.

_**But she hates me.**_

He had planned to buy the piece that brought them their first conversation, but he didn't expect to get such stinging words.

_**Well, I did give her a lot to work with.**_

She had called him a freeloader. She accused him of being ignorant of the wrongs in Gotham. She seethed and was sardonic.

He had pointed out about his foundation and his past, but she was quick to use it against him.

But there was a part of her rant that hurt; that hurt a lot, and it hurt even more just to remember it.

_"Sadly, when you had to mature when your parents died. You were the only one left. I know what that's like, but you changed again. You matured and then retarded back to a child - a spoiled one; an ignorant one - a child that people admire and say he looks so handsome, but when thought about hard - just another man living life to 'fullest' but only winding up face down - alone."_

She didn't know what he's been through. She sure as hell didn't know that he was Batman.

_**But she did have points…**_

Yes, she did have points. What she said was harsh, but necessary. She didn't know the whole truth. How could she? Wayne was the playboy. He lived by it.

He knew that people would criticize him. He just never though he'd hear one right in his face by someone that he wanted to get to know.

"Can't sleep, Master Bruce?"

Bruce glanced at his trusted butler and friend Alfred, and nodded.

"Bad dream, sir?" Alfred asked; taking a seat next to Bruce.

"Yes." Bruce replied.

"May I inquire about whom?" Alfred asked; already guessing in his mind that it was probably his parents or Rachel.

Bruce didn't answer. He just bent his head down somberly. He couldn't answer even though he wanted to.

Alfred sadly watched Bruce pull himself into his mind; slipping into a comforting sanctuary that he knew wouldn't last.

He didn't move from his seat but watched his charge with loving and grieving eyes as he remembered himself burning Rachel's letter, and what it said in it.

_Dear Bruce,_

_ I need to explain, and I need to be honest and clear. I'm going to marry Harvey Dent. I love him and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. When I told you that if Gotham no longer needed Batman we could be together, I meant it. But I'm not sure the day will come when you no longer need Batman, and if it does, I will be there, but as your friend. I'm sorry to let you down. If you lose your faith in me, please keep our faith in people. _

_ Love now and always,_

_ Rachel_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne was now sitting on the balcony wall; not afraid of how far up she was. She finished her can of Pepsi and threw it into the outside garbage can.

Dan Harper was no longer in her mind. She forced him out of her life and she did the same with her mind.

Something entirely different was weighing on her mind.

It was her words used against Bruce Wayne yesterday which only happened to be hours earlier.

_"Simplicity is definitely a part of you."_

That sentence immediately cut through her and made her have a reality check.

Had she taken it too far?

She wasn't sure if she crossed any lines, but she knew that she did push the wrong buttons even though it felt right at the time.

She knew from her friends that she had a sharp tongue; that if pushed you could say things that were both true and false and spin them the way she wanted it to be.

Despite the strength of her tongue, she has never lashed at somebody unless for a good reason.

_**Is it a good reason for what my perception is of Bruce Wayne?**_

Did she know Bruce Wayne?

No, she didn't.

_**Then maybe I'll have to find out.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed that. Loyal Friends will be updated this week. I am working on the next chapter. Reviews appreciated and keep me going!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that.

**A/N**: I'm glad you guys review. I know it was shocking to learn that Anne was molested. Now, Batman/Bruce Wayne do not make an appearance, but I assure you that they will soon. Reviews are appreciated! I really like learning about what you think about Anne and the story! Enjoy!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

Anne sat on the balcony wall; eyes closed and arms around herself. She wasn't thinking about anything. She was alone and in her most protective sanctuary: her mind.

"You could fall you know. This is thirty stories up."

Anne smiled at the voice. She opened her eyes and turned to Eddie.

"I know, but I'm not scared," she replied.

Eddie smiled back. "You're not scared of anything aren't you?"

Anne got off the balcony and leaned against it.

"There's nothing to fear, but fear itself," she quoted.

She believed it to be true. She's lived it.

_**I've breathed it.**_

"Yes. But you fear fearing again." Eddie said; extending his hand out to her.

_**Always… **_She nodded and took his hand.

"Fear…what's life without it?" she whispered as Eddie led her back into the apartment through her bedroom to the hallway and into the living room.

Eddie let Anne sit down at the couch and then went to the kitchen to grab a drink.

Anne glanced at the door.

"How did you get in here anyway?" she asked.

Eddie walked back and sat next to her with two water bottles in his hand. He gave her one as he replied, "It could be one of two ways. I either picked the lock or I happen to know where you hide your spare key."

Anne laughed. _**Typical…**_ "I don't know if either option is assuring."

"Well, at least you didn't leave your door unlocked." Eddie laughed back.

Anne shook her head, and then looked at him closer.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

She knew there was an alternative motive. Eddie was her friend, but he had a life. He was an assistant district attorney and he had a wife with children.

Eddie rubbed his chin slowly as he responded, "You know why."

Anne frowned. She had a feeling that he wasn't here for some chit-chat.

"Don't start, Eddie," she warned. _**Not now.**_

"It's the anniversary, Anne!" Eddie exclaimed; moving his hands.

"So?"

Eddie shook his head in disbelief.

"The anniversary of Dan Harper's arrest!" Eddie exclaimed. "I know you didn't forget it."

Anne glared at him and guzzled down the water.

Eddie ran his hands through his hair, and looked into her green glare.

"Anne, I didn't want you to be alone!" he hissed.

Anne rolled her eyes.

"I'm not alone," she insisted. "I have friends, I have me, and I have you."

Eddie cocked an eyebrow.

"There's word around that you and the Commissioner have grown close," he said.

_**Oh, know you didn't. **_Anne's eyes widened.

"You make that sound as if it's a bad thing – like I'm some other woman." Anne cried; irritated.

"I didn't mean it to sound like that." Eddie replied with a shake of his head.

"Then what did you mean?" Anne asked. "Because I don't know."

"I mean it's a good thing." Eddie explained. "It's good thing that you've come to trust someone else besides me – another man."

_**You're implying…**_

Anne quickly said, "I trust men."

Eddie shook his head again.

"No, you don't," he replied.

The certainty in Eddie's voice unnerved Anne.

"One of the girls is married. I trust him and I have two gay friends." Anne pointed out for Eddie; trying to convince him otherwise.

"So?"

Anne felt an urge to hit Eddie. _**Slap…pinch…whichever makes the point.**_

"I trust men," she repeated.

"Don't you see after all _that _happened you took it differently?" Eddie asked. "You didn't hate yourself. Hell, you didn't even think it was your fault. You knew exactly whose problem it was. You were the one who called the cops."

Anne nodded.

"Exactly."

"But you have come to distrust men even those who try to help you. You tolerate them, but you don't confide in them." Eddie added. "You've never had a boyfriend, and you've never been in a serious relationship. You don't fear men. You don't hate men. You just _can't trust them_."

_**What?**_

"I trust and confide in you." Anne said; putting her empty water bottle down on the table in front of them.

She pulled her legs up and sat on them as she looked at the emotion whirling in Eddie's eyes.

"Which I am very grateful for, but there's a specific reason for that." Eddie continued. "I was abused as well – sexually by someone I trusted."

_**I know… **_Anne sadly nodded. "But you dealt with everything…"

"Like you except that I am willingly to trust in men." Eddie finished.

Anne gaped, but only for a minute at her friend's conclusion.

"So you're saying that I'm not willingly?" she asked; a hint of anger coming through.

"You're not willing to put anything on the line when concerning men – especially your heart." Eddie immediately said.

Anne couldn't believe it.

"You know I love you, Eddie."

Eddie nodded impatiently. "Yes, I know. And I love you too, but once again, it's because of our past, and then what we have in common. Besides I was the one who reached out to you."

_**What…**_ Anne looked deep into Eddie's chocolate eyes.

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked weakly.

Eddie looked away as if pondering whether or not to continue, but as soon as he did that he turned back and looked right back at her with just as much power and emotion.

"I don't know if any of us truly heal..." he started. "But I know that we can move on."

Anne was about to say that she had moved on, but Eddie put his hand up. She fell silent at that motion.

"You don't have confidence in men. You want control…And from what I know, you still have memories." Eddie said.

"Of course, I have memories!" Anne yelled. "How can I not have memories from what that bastard did to me!"

Eddie saw the strain in her face and quickly with a soft voice said, "Memories happen…I know. But I need to know if they come involuntary. And besides, most adults don't have memories of their molestation. They it know it happened, but they don't recall it."

_**Eddie…what do you want from me? **_

"I'm not depressed, Edward." Anne replied; stressing on his Christian name. "I'm not most adults. I'm Anne Vera. I survived!"

"Did you really?" Eddie countered. He looked at her hard. "Look what you've become. I see it. You have put walls around your heart and around yourself. Thirteen years since he was arrested… Anne, it started when you were seven and ended at fifteen -"

"I know when it started and ended!" Anne cried; annoyed and unsure about where the conversation was going, but knowing full well that she was hurt.

Tears suddenly came to her eyes. She tried to wipe them all the way, and tried to stop the tears by closing her eyes shut, but the tears kept on coming.

Eddie's heart broke at the sight, but he wouldn't dare touch her; not when she was like this. He had his own boundaries to follow.

"I hate to say this, but I don't think you accept…" he couldn't finish his sentence.

Anne sniffled; opened her eyes, and looked at him accusingly.

"How dare you say that I haven't accepted my past!" she yelled.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Eddie yelled back.

Anne shook her head. "No, I don't. Why don't you explain it to me?"

"You can't keep living life like this." Eddie slowly said; his heart breaking with each word as he tried to help his friend. "You had dreams before. Remember?" He smiled softly. "You and I had dreams. I've lived mine, but you – it disappeared." His smile faded. "I need you to _live_ again."

Anne's emerald eyes darkened.

"It's really late," she said with bitterness and anger. "Shouldn't you be home with your wife and children? It's a bad sign for them – kind of like an omen for abandonment."

Eddie seemed to stop breathing. His dark eyes became sadder; pained. He stood up and walked to the door.

Opening it, he said, "You can't keep hiding yourself, Anne. You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you."

And then he left.

Anne lifted up, and pulled her legs in front of her. She hugged them as the flow of tears became stronger.

She never felt so alone.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed that. Loyal Friends will be updated this week. I am working on the next chapter. Reviews appreciated and keep me going!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that. But I do own Anne and her friends.

**A/N**: I know I have other stories to update (which I will), but I had to post this. Last chapter was a little depressing. I know that. Now, I've read my story over, but I assure you all that even though it may look inconsistent. It is not – well, at least to me. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Reviews appreciated!

**A/N2**: I might not update this weekend, and next week I know I won't update because I am going to Disneyland with my family. Until next time!

**Oh, if any of you can do me a favor. Please PM or review me on what you think about Anne. I'm just curious.**

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

Anne never fell back asleep when Eddie left. No, she cried for about two hours; shaking and rocking.

And until it was seven, she watched T.V. without really paying attention.

When it was seven, she got up and entered the shower.

That's where she was in right now; eyes closed and mouth opened.

The shower was hot. The water that powered down on her sent steam and fogged out the glass. It burned Anne, but she couldn't move from it.

She wanted to control what's in her. But every time she closed her eyes she kept on hearing what she said to Eddie.

_"It's really late. Shouldn't you be home with your wife and children? It's a bad sign for them – kind of like an omen for abandonment."_

_**I shouldn't have said that to him. I shouldn't have mentioned how his father abandoned him. I shouldn't have said how he almost abandoned me… That was so long ago.**_

Guilt was in her. Grief filled her. Horror pushed her.

_**No!**_

She had to be strong. She fought so hard to get to the place she was at. She was strong. She needed to be strong.

_**But how can I?**_

How could she be strong when everything Eddie said hit the mark and pushed the right buttons?

_**Ding! Ding! Ding! Anne Vera doesn't trust men! **_

Suddenly, the heat became too much. She opened her eyes, and quickly turned off the water.

She wrapped her arms around herself as the fan started to erase the steam; cooling her.

_**I don't trust men who try to help me. I tolerate them, but I don't confide in them. I never had a boyfriend, and I never been in a serious relationship. I don't fear men. I don't hate men. I just **__won't__** trust them. I don't have confidence in men. I want control.**_

But what about Batman? What about all the weird feelings she felt for him? What was that?

_**The balcony… What about that?**_

She wanted to know what was so special about the Batman that made her totally disregard what Eddie had said, and what she knew to be true.

"If I don't trust men then why does Batman strike a chord?" she asked herself as she grabbed her towel.

She bent down so that her hair would fall into place. She placed the towel on her hair and twisted it so the towel was wrapped around her hair. She then pulled it up and made sure that her head could carry it.

She pulled the glass door open and exited her showering station. She got out and stood still as she looked herself in the mirror.

Her mind flashed so quickly back to that night on the balcony that there were only bits.

_Her finger on his strong jaw… Dark eyes piercing her… Close enough to feel each other's breath… Telling him her name was Anne… His look sends shivers… A slight smile… His deep, hoarse voice saying that his name was Batman… _

Anne shook her head at the memory.

It was ridiculous.

_**What's so special about the Batman?**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Edward Vincent Jones was thirty-three.

He had risen up high from an intern in the offices of Baltimore and succeeded in getting a position in the Internal Affairs office in Metropolis. And now, he was the assistant district attorney for Gotham.

He was raised in born in Cincinnati and raised in Baltimore, and then he moved to California.

He was born into dysfunctional home. His father was a gambler and he abandoned him and his mother when he was only seven.

His molestation started when he turned nine. It became a given whenever he went to karate class. His sensei, Graham Decker, was the culprit. Decker was a slim man, muscled, and had a scar on his cheek that looked like he was cut from a knife.

Practice started at five and ended at six thirty. So how did the molestation work? See usually everybody left at six thirty or to six forty, but his mother worked long hours so he was left alone with the sensei.

So it would begin. He felt what everyone felt: uncomfortable, unsure, and afraid. But Decker assured him that it wouldn't hurt and that it would all be alright. But that was a lie.

It started when he was nine and ended when he was fifteen. Decker was caught molesting his five year old daughter. And then more charges were brought on to him by eleven other parents for eleven other children. He didn't tell his mother at first, but he knew he had to. She was supportive and when he decided to tell the police that there was a thirteenth victim she went with him.

It was then decided by both of them after Decker was sentenced to prison. They moved to California. And that was where he first met Anne. She was only twelve. He knew from the moment he met her that something was going on. She was hiding something important.

They hanged out together with some other girls. They laughed together and joked but he would always see the distance in her eyes.

He knew that look. It was in his own eyes as well, but despite there being distance in her lush green eyes he could clearly see, strength, and focus.

So he followed his instincts. He reached out to her and admitted what she would allow him to tell her.

He remembered the last conversation. He remembered what he told Anne.

_You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you.  
_It was the only thing that he could say. It was a bit harsh, but it was the truth. Anne had walls about her and from what he had seen – no one or anything could bring them down.

As he looked at his wife and three children, he silently prayed that children never have to go through what he and Anne went through.

_**And maybe if you, Anne, can find someone to love… **_

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce slept soundly after he sat down in the couch. He knew how to control himself and for once, he could actually control his mind when he slept of he had no memories, no dreams, and no nightmares.

He ate at the newest restaurant that only served lunch. It was called Americana. Not a very unique name, but he had to admit to himself that their food was actually really good.

After, he found himself at Rachel's grave. It hurt to know that there was no body, but a small pile of ash. But he buried the ashes. He needed to have someplace to come back to her and to remember.

"Do you know how much I miss you?" he asked her.

_**I dream of you. Memories flash through my mind's eyes. I miss you so much.**_

He mostly dreamed about what could have been between them. He imagined himself finally having to right moment to give up Batman. He would call Rachel over. They would kiss and everything would be where it should be.

_**Would we have wound up married? Would there be children?**_

He would never know.

She was gone.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

_"What do you know about Bruce Wayne?" Anne had asked Gordon as they drank coffee together sitting on a park bench._

_Jim didn't answer at first. He just took a long sip of his coffee._

_"What do you already know?" he asked._

_Anne replied, "I know that he watched his parents get murdered. He disappeared for seven years and returned to get his rightful place as the head of Wayne Industries. He then in a drunken fit – I guess burned his home to the ground… And that's it…"_

_"That's what everyone knows…" Jim said. "Have you met the man before?"_

_Anne flashed back to their two encounters. She thought about her prediction she made for Wayne; that he would wind up alone._

_A feeling rushed against her. She wasn't sure if it was guilt. She wasn't even sure if it was regret. It felt like foolishness._

_"Yeah, I've met him," she softly replied as she faced Jim. "What can you tell me?"_

_Jim shrugged as he looked at her. _

_"What about Mr. Wayne?" he asked himself. He scratched the back of his neck as he continued, "Ever since the murders, I've done my best to visit him as a child. I always asked his butler Alfred Pennyworth if he was okay."_

_"Was he?" Anne asked even though she knew it was one of the most stupid questions she had ever asked._

_"No," Jim answered with a shake of his head. "And when he disappeared I was shocked especially when he came back from the dead."_

_"Do you to talk or something?" _

_"Us? No, but we've spoken once or twice. And even from those two conversations, I doubt that he's all what people say he is."_

_"Playboy klutz and so forth?"_

_"Yes. You see. He was really good friends with Rachel Dawes."_

_"The woman who died in an explosion by the Joker?"_

_Jim nodded. "They were childhood friends."_

_Anne turned her head away form him uncomfortably. __**So he not only lost his parents, but his best friend.**_

_"What else?" she asked after taking a deep breath and looked back Gordon._

_Jim smiled slightly. _

_"Funny thing happened… You remember Reese?" _

_Anne nodded. He was the guy who supposedly knew who the Batman was._

_"Well, when we were trying to get him out of harms way… Mr. Wayne saved his life."_

_"Really?" Anne asked with a raised eyebrow._

_"I asked if he did on purpose, but he said that he wanted to run the red light."_

_Anne laughed. That sounded right to her._

_"I asked him if he knew who was inside the car, but he said he didn't." Jim laughed back. _

_"He must not watch the news." _

_"That's what I told him."_

_They both laughed._

_"For some reason I really do believe that it wasn't an accident."_

_"He showed his heart, you mean."_

_"I don't know."_

_"But you do believe that isn't some smirking idiot."_

_"No, I don't."_

Anne knew that everyone had a heart, but the real question was - were their hearts capable of love?

Her talk with Jim didn't reveal much. But she did find out some interesting info. Yet her knowledge of Bruce Wayne was still limited. So how could she change her views when there was no one or anything that could tell her otherwise?

Questions have always been in her mind.

If Jim didn't think Wayne was as he seemed to be then why does she say such horrible things about him? What happened to the lesson her mom taught her about not judging people?

_**Don't judge a book by its cover.**_

But she knew sometimes that people put themselves on their sleeves.

_**So is that what's Wayne doing or is it something else? And what about myself? **_

Was wearing herself on her sleeve? No, she kept herself hidden. Just like Eddie said – she did have walls around herself.

And the question of Batman came back into her head.

What was so special about him? Why did he make her feel strange feelings? Why couldn't she stop thinking about him until the anniversary? Why does she prefer him over the men with faces she could clearly see?

_**Do I trust him? **_No, it didn't go that far. _**Am I in love with him? **_No, she knew that very well, but then again, she's never been in love before.

Then what was it?

_You can't keep living life like this. You had dreams before. Remember? You and I had dreams. I've lived mine, but you – it disappeared. I need you to __live__ again._

Did she still dream?

She shook her head. _**No, only memories…**_

_You can't keep hiding yourself, Anne. You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you._

Did it feel like Batman could break her walls?

She shook her head. _**It's something else entirely…**_

What was it?

Eddie told her that she's never had a boyfriend and she's never had a serious relationship. What he failed to mention was that she never kissed a man and she still held her virginity.

Oh, she's heard about those things. She's read it about them. And sometimes, she's seen.

_**But I don't know what it's like.**_

Anne opened her eyes. She didn't even know they were closed, but when she opened her eyes she found herself on her balcony.

It was dark, and the harsh wind blew against her as the moon shined in the sky.

_**Batman…**_

She didn't know why, but when he made her freeze. It was strange that his look could make her shiver. He penetrated her. His breath made her quiver. She felt vulnerable around him.

And that's what surprised, fascinated, and awed her in the first place.

_**I feel vulnerable around him.**_

Since Harper, she always thought vulnerability was the worst thing ever; that one had to remain stronger than that and take control for control was safe – control was fair and it wouldn't hurt you because you were in control.

Vulnerability was something she hadn't felt in a long time. And for once, she actually liked it. It was different, odd, and surprising, but she did like it.

_You can't keep hiding yourself, Anne. You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you._

She felt safe hiding, but Eddie had a point. How could she really live with so many walls around her? Could she finally move on or would she let her walls suffocate her?

Then what was Batman to her?

_**A crush…a hope to belief in men…a symbol that maybe I could tear down my walls…a fascination…a start…**_

But what if she couldn't do it? She could be brash at times. She's prone to being to be outrageously stubborn. What if she couldn't?

_**Do I even want to? It seems that I need to. But do I really want to?**_

Anne climbed up on the balcony wall and stood up. She looked down below and saw the cars drive around the city.

The harsh wind blew against her. She swayed a little, but didn't back out.

_**I'm not afraid of death…**_

What was she afraid of?

Eddie said she was afraid of fearing.

_**He's right. I don't' want to have fear.**_

But somewhere in her heart she knew that it didn't matter. She might not fear death, but if there was one thing inside of her that she fears most was dropping her walls that she had so carefully and strictly put.

The view from up there was beautiful. She felt better than before.

Yet questions still roamed through her mind.

"No!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Batman had been out and about for three hours. He had a little run in with a drug leader. He also almost spotted by a night shift cop.

He had been out as Bruce Wayne longer than he expected. He needed to feel the wind on his face. He wanted the sensation of lying like a bat. He wanted to feel in general.

So, he decided to fly over Anne's home. But to his shock, he saw her standing on the balcony wall – looking ready to jump.

Fear suddenly entered her mind. It was fear that Anne was going to commits suicide. But why?

He quickly went to her side and landed on her left side as swiftly and carefully as he could. He landed crouched and said in his deep raspy voice, "No!"

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Anne recognized the hoarse voice and smiled slightly.

"I wasn't going to jump you know," she replied. She looked down. "I'm just enjoying the view."

Batman didn't answer. He stood up, grabbed her hand and eyed her carefully; analytically. **What are you doing, Anne? **

Once again, his look gave Anne chills. And his touch – his touch made her insides squirm. The leather on his hand touching her bare skinned one was overwhelming. She could feel herself trying not to pull away out of habit.

She looked at their hands.

Batman looked at it too. He didn't want her to jump. He didn't want her to go. **I'm not ready for that yet.** He then looked back up at her; analyzing again.

When she saw the look he was giving she responded in an irritated tone, "You know you can't save everyone." She turned away; eyes only on what's below her, but not daring to withdraw her hand from his. "You know you can't save everyone. Sometimes you just got to let things go…as in you going with the flow."

Anne turned to him and gave him a half smile. _**It's beautiful.**_

"But then again – that's not why you are here aren't you?" she asked.

Batman still wouldn't speak. He himself didn't know exactly why he was here. All he knew was that she looked like she was going to jump and instinct and his heart told him to rescue her.

"You see?' Anne asked as she raised her arms. "I'm not suicidal. I never have been. I love my life." _**Well, at least some parts of it.**_

The darkness that was usually around his hazel eyes suddenly lightened while Anne's sharp emerald eyes darkened.

Caution was the word that popped up in Batman's mind. He has seen her eyes darken before but not like this. **Something's up.**

In response to that thought, he tightened his grip.

Anne closed her eyes involuntary when his grip became stronger. From that alone she knew that she didn't want him to let go of her. She suddenly felt weak like she couldn't move, but she knew she could.

"Help me…" she pleaded. _**But for what?**_

She wasn't entirely sure why she asked him for help. Was it because she felt like she was immobile? Or was it something that lay deeper within herself?

Batman felt his breath taken away from him. **Why? **He's been asked for help on many occasions. **But not like this. **Then what was so different?

**It's because you asked me to.**

Maybe that was it. There was something about Anne that told him that she doesn't usually ask anyone for help. He could tell that she was strong. He could see that she preferred to be in control. Asking for help was something big to a person who held pride.

**Or a person who protects herself with walls?**

Without looking and with ease, he stepped off the wall and onto the floor. He looked deep into Anne's eyes.

**Anne…**

He pulled her slowly towards him.

In lightweight form – possibly as light as a feather – Anne was pulled forward. She fell in a controlled manner. She fell into his arms.

Anne's eyes widened.

She was closer than close to him this time. She no longer could just feel him breathe. _**I can feel your heartbeat.**_

Batman was a little surprised as well, but he expected that outcome. He just didn't expect the feelings that arose within him.

He looked into her eyes; breath finally returning but it was slow, and unsteady. He couldn't remove his arms from her.

**Why? **It was because of the way she felt. It was how her body felt against his even though she wore a night gown and he wore Kevlar. It was the warmth that he felt.

Anne looked into his eyes for a little while, but found them to be too intense for her. She instead closed her eyes as she felt his warm breath brush against her skin; making her turn red and feel out of what she feared most. _**Control…**_

Batman felt his heart lose some of its weight.

To have her in his arm was new, terrifying, and strangely – natural. He liked the feeling of her in his arms. **I don't want to let you go…**

Anne couldn't believe it. Here she was on her balcony in the arms of a vigilante. She was not the kind of person who would do that kind of thing. She's protected herself from having to do anything like this.

But from some reason it felt right. _**I feel safe.**_

At that thought, she immediately pulled away. She walked back to the sliding door; ready to leave, and found that she couldn't. Yet she knew she couldn't go back to him. But she could look back.

And that's what she did.

Her heart was pounding. Her mind was whirling. And she was afraid.

Batman wanted to, but restrained himself from grabbing her and pulling her back in his arms.

He at first felt slighted, but thought better of it. **It's not normal… **She barely knew him. She barely knew Bruce either.

He didn't hear the sliding door shut so he turned to her.

They looked deep into each other eyes. Both hoping the other would speak first. The memory of each other's touch was clear in their minds. It was so clear that they could actually feel it again.

They both missed it. They both didn't understand it.

Anne couldn't look into his eyes anymore. _**I don't get it. **_She looked down, and closed them.

Batman quickly moved in front of her when she finally opened her eyes. He heard her slight gasp at the suddenness. **Anne…**

_**Batman…**_ Anne bravely looked him in the eyes, but when she spoke she knew she didn't sound brave at all.

"Is it wrong for me to ask you…" she hesitated and bent her head down.

Batman lightly put his hand under her chin, and firmly made her look at him. **Ask away, Anne.**

Anne took his hand and squeezed it.

She looked at him fully – all the vulnerability was in her eyes as well a tiny spark of hope.

When she spoke, her voice was steady, but her heart raced.

"Is it wrong for me to ask you to make a visit here a part of your routine?" she asked. _**Oh, God, what am I doing? **_And then another thought came. One that frightened her. _**Please don't say no.**_

Batman was shocked.

He didn't expect to be asked that question. It almost blew him away. Instead it struck him hard.

Nightly visits weren't a simple thing. He was going to have to make a commitment of showing up; of being there for her.

Could he do it?

**I wouldn't have it any other way.**

He nodded.

"If that's what you want…Then – yes."

Anne felt like her heart just stopped. She squeezed his hand tighter and then pulled her hand away.

She slowly smiled.

Batman was glad that her smile reached her eyes.

And then to their mutual surprise, Anne gave Batman a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you."

She slid the door opened and left without looking back.

Batman put his hand on the cheek she kissed. He closed his eyes as he felt her warmth against him.

**What's going to happen now?**

He didn't know. But for now, he was satisfied. He turned from the closed sliding door, jumped off the balcony, and disappeared into the night with only her name and the memory of this night in his mind.

Anne went to her bed and buried herself within her covers.

What had just happened no longer frightened her.

She could still feel the sensation of his skin on her lips. She can feel her hand in his. She could still feel her body in his arms.

Confusion suddenly hit.

_**What's happening?**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed that. I am working on the next chapter. Reviews appreciated and keep me going!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that. I am relying on a lot of things besides my own imagination for this story. I rely on the movies, the novelizations, the screenplays, the comics, and so much more.

**A/N**: I know it's been so long since my last chapter. I was in Disneyland and my attention has been on the Olympics. I've of course been rooting for the USA especially during the swimming competition. Go Michael Phelps and Aaron Peirsol!

Once again, I'd like to assure all of you that I am working as hard as I can on this story as well as my other story.

Reviews appreciated! Please tell me what you think about it!

**A/N-2**: The song "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova has been stuck in my head when concerning this story. I don't know why but the song fits.

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

_**What am I doing?**_

The question had been echoing in Bruce's head all morning. It had been in his mind after that moment of his promise to Anne to the moment he started his day again as went on his daily routine as the playboy Wayne.

_**Wasn't it all too soon?**_

Rachel's death was only a few months ago.

He was still grieving. He knew that.

Life seemed so hopeless ever since he died. No, life for himself seemed hopeless, but not for Gotham.

Rachel had been on his mind for months. Questions of what could have been and things that they've done together like how she would always watch him train during high school. Or how she believed in him even though he didn't believe in himself.

_**But then came Anne…**_

During the five months after Rachel's death he became withdrawn. He stopped talking altogether with Alfred and Lucius. He only gave them a few words, but not lie he used to converse with them.

He pushed himself into his two lives as Batman and playboy Wayne as Bruce sunk into grief.

He was all in his work. He remained cold even though he burned with pain.

_**Until Anne…**_

The fateful meeting in an alley near the Narrows was where it all began.

Suddenly, thing became to change.

He was immediately attracted to her and struck by the strange beauty that she held.

Her emerald orbs to her sharp features and her mixed accent.

Something about her quickly took hold of him. He wasn't sure if it was her looks or her presence, but something within her gripped him.

He didn't fully understand why or how, but it happened. Life seemed just a little bit okay like the hope he lost when Rachel died actually rose from the ashes into something sweet – but totally confusing.

He liked her that was a sure thing. She was a capable woman, intelligent, and so much more.

Four different meetings while each meeting were separated and filled with thoughts about her and the meetings.

And he made a big move last night.

He not only held her in his arms, but he made a promise that every night he would visit her.

_**I won't go back on that…**_

He wouldn't. He couldn't.

_**Was it all too soon?**_

But then again was it really?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

During the quick meeting between him and the D.A. that succeeded the famed and missed Harvey "The White Knight" Dent, Eddie realized just how much he didn't like his boss.

D.A. Peter Sullivan wasn't really what Eddie would call corrupt, but he was pretty damn close.

A tough half Texan and half Virginian Sullivan was not necessarily wide set, but think enough. He had grey eyes and white thin hair. And he also held an irritatingly smug and unlikable grin.

Eddie wasn't even listening. Sure, he could hear, but that didn't mean that he was listening.

The only word that he really heard was a word of dismissal.

When he arrived in his office, he muttered a few non-friendly words against his boss.

Eddie sat on his rolling chair and ran his hands through his hair.

He decided move from Metropolis to Gotham for many reasons.

One because he wife got promotion and thing was that she had to move. Two was because that he wasn't sure if he was really needed. And lastly, the appearance of his best friend's tormentor coming into town didn't really help his chances on staying in Metropolis.

He's never met Dan Harper. He's only seen the man in the news and one-time in court, but never heard the man speak.

But he did hear the stories of the many children and teens including Anne of what he did to them.

His heart not only broke, but his heart was fueled with anger. But he did not let that get to him.

As much as revenge sounded good to him, his main priority was and will always be Anne including his wife and children.

It was to his great fortune to be able to go stay in Gotham.

Sure, the knack for having interesting masked or painted or named people also known as creatures only gave him incentive to clean up the city. Also, the fact that corruption was in large amounts set his determination to grow up and his need to rise up the ranks and help better the city.

_It's really late. Shouldn't you be home with your wife and children? It's a bad sign for them – kind of like an omen for abandonment._

That really hurt him.

Anne knew of his history.

She knew the one moment in his life where he was at his lowest.

He drifted way off from familial life. He had cheated and the guilt was so strong that he left his wife and children.

He even contemplated on suicide.

_**Abandonment…**_

It only happened once and it forever haunted him.

Anne was an expert on knowing how to hit the right buttons and on knowing how to tear through the marks in a person.

Everything about her was sharp. Not only were her features sharp, but her tongue was sharp as well. Her mind was the sharpest mind that he has ever encountered.

_**I'm sharp as well…**_

He didn't know if he was as sharp as she was, but he was sharp enough.

_You can't keep hiding yourself, Anne. You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you._

It was true.

He knew that and he knew Anne knew that too.

He didn't want to say it, but he had to. Anne had to stop hiding. Her walls were so strong that she never opened herself up. She hasn't even told her girlfriends that she had been molested. And he bet that she hadn't even told Commissioner Gordon.

_**I'm the only one that knows.**_

And he knew that can't stay the same.

He knew that letting someone in after all the horrible things that have happened to a person isn't easy especially if that person had been abused. But he also new that letting someone in wouldn't be nearly impossible if a person like Anne keeps her walls up.

If only she would just give it a try. She had to or else like he said her walls would suffocate her and she'll be alone.

Despite the argument they had, he knew that he would always be there beside her. Whatever she needed he would do his best to give to her. He would risk his own life to help her.

That was how much he loved her.

He then remembered his conversation with her on one of the most interesting subjects he has ever encountered.

They were in his office and they talked a little bit about why he came from Metropolis to Gotham.

But then the subject changed right into Batman.

It wasn't that long of a talk, but it revealed a lot to him. It revealed very important things to him – things that could be useful in later times.

He was the one who mentioned the Batman.

Anne immediately replied that Batman was a vigilante, a wanted man, and a murderer.

But he on the other hand thought differently.

He knew that Batman was once a symbol of hope; of a human who can stand up to crime because the dirt in Gotham was piling up.

_**And the fact that Batman was considered a hero and from what he knew a friend – no, an ally to the man who is now commissioner…**_

Yes, no matter what anyone said he knew that something wasn't right with the whole thing.

Like he stated in that conversation, he saw something in both the commissioner's eyes and in Anne's.

_**Trust.**_

And when he said that someday they would both meet the Batman he saw something in Anne's emerald eyes. Her smile widened and her eyes flashed so quickly that one wouldn't know it flash unless one knew her well.

_**You've met him Anne.**_

But what exactly was it? Why did they meet? Did Anne need some rescuing? Or was it for some entirely different thing.

He wouldn't intrude in whatever was going on. He'll hope Anne would tell him sooner or later.

Besides, he had a different idea in his mind when concerning the Batman.

_**Allegiance…**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Since we salvaged their company they have agreed to put Mr. Wayne as one of it's board member." Lucius Fox said.

The twelve other men and women nodded.

"Does this please you Mr. Wayne?" Fox asked.

The twelve turned at first expecting to see their boss nodding or sleeping, but instead he looked like he wasn't even in the room.

"Mr. Wayne sleeps with his eyes open now…" Fox joked softly.

The twelve laughed as Wayne jumped; a little startled.

Bruce blinked and looked closely at Fox. And there was that trademark sly grin.

He in turn nodded.

"It's a skill," he simply replied.

That earned him a laugh from the twelve and a wider grin from Fox.

"Alright, enough for now." Fox said in a respectful and yet dismissive tone. "I don't know about you all, but I'm quite hungry. Until next time…"

The twelve nodded and took their briefcases and walked out while Bruce just stood up and looked out the window; deep in thought.

"I doubt that you were really sleeping." Fox said beside him. "So, I wonder what exactly got you spacing out."

Bruce smiled slightly. "I was going to use the term 'zoning' out rather than 'spacing' out."

Fox smiled back. "Either way – something's on your mind. There must be a reason for you to be 'spacing' and 'zoning' out."

_**Anne…**_

"Someone."

He didn't widen his eyes, but he was taken aback. He didn't expect himself to say anything out loud.

He didn't glance at Fox, but he could a feel the curiosity.

Luckily for him, Fox didn't ask about it.

Instead, Fox said, "Well, I hope you actually do close your eyes next time. I don't know if I have another joke."

Bruce laughed and then received a pat on a shoulder as Fox walked out of the conference room.

Yes, someone was on his mind throughout the whole meeting.

Anne was on his mind.

And also was a not a decision, but a choice concerning him and her.

What happened on the balcony last night had repeated over and over again in his mind.

Anne asked him for help.

_**She asked me to visit her nightly.**_

He promised her. He promised himself inside.

He would somehow save her. He would loyally visit her.

Now the real question was how he would like to connect with her as Bruce. Would he choose to be a friend or maybe something more?

I want to start as a friend.

And maybe – if they were ready the possibility of something more than friends would begin.

_**But for now – friendship is all I want.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne smiled as the children drew and painted.

She was a teacher for Gotham's Orphanage. She worked three times a week in the orphanage. She taught anything that dealt with the arts.

Right now the children whose age's ranged three to seven were painting and drawing. She had instructed them to draw or paint their favorite things.

An interesting thing happened before she started to draw and/or paint. They asked her if they could put Batman as one of their favorite things.

_"Ms. Vera? Can we put Batman in?" they all asked one way or another._

_Anne had smiled. She looked at them with pure adoration._

_"Well, haven't you heard what your parents thought?" she asked._

_One child merely smiled innocently and said, "Sometimes parents gossip…"_

_"Or make stories…" said another._

_Anne had grinned. She nodded._

_"Don't make it so obvious."_

She knew that most of them still admired Batman despite the common belief nowadays. Maybe because Batman was something more than a hero – Batman was something to these children.

She's only worked in the orphanage for about a year and half or so. But she loved her job. She recognized how they all felt.

Sure, she was adopted at the age of two, but that didn't mean she couldn't emphasize with them.

These children were abandoned, given up on, or given away.

She didn't know who her biological parents were. But what she did know was that her mother passed away and her father – well, all she knew was that her father wasn't around.

She was adopted by Patricia Vera. Patricia became her mom.

Patricia didn't come up with her name. She told Anne that her name was given her biological mother.

_**The only thing that my mother gave me.**_

And she cherished the name Anne even more after she survived her ordeal with Dan Harper. She clung to the name – to memories that were so much better than her time with Harper.

She survived.

And in turn put up walls about her to make sure no one took advantage of her ever again.

_**I want to bring them down, Eddie; I do want to bring them down.**_

But could she?

_**I have to.**_

Like Eddie pointed out, she never had been in a romantic relationship before. She was a virgin in kissing, and in consensual sex.

She was inexperienced.

_**And it was all because of my stupid walls.**_

Her thoughts then turned to Bruce Wayne.

She had been a hypocrite.

What was she doing hating a man that she barely knew? Had she not listened to what her mom taught her?

_**Sometimes I can be idiot…**_

It was true, and what Wayne told her after he bought one of her pieces hit the mark for her as well.

_Simplicity isn't definitely a part of you._

Anne closed her eyes for a moment.

He doesn't know anything.

But neither did her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

In his office, Gordon sat in front of his desk. It was a little early, but he still felt he needed what was on the side of his desk.

It was a glass of whiskey.

But it remained untouched. He poured it into a glass yet he still couldn't drink it. He hasn't been drinking whiskey in a long time.

He couldn't risk it especially after what the Joker did.

Maybe that was a little paranoid, but it didn't matter. Gordon wouldn't let anything happen.

Gordon looked over the files of persons that his people were looking for. The main file was on the Batman.

Five months since the day he declared Batman an enemy to the city. Five months since he sent the dogs out against the man he considered his ally.

It had been difficult for the first few weeks chasing the Batman.

But like he told his son Jimmy – Batman had to run. He could handle it because Batman was the hero Gotham deserved but didn't need right now.

The whole Joker fiasco changed a lot of things for him and many other people for worse and for the better.

Some tragic things happened.

A good friend of his Rachel Dawes passed away in an explosion when placed by the Joker's people in a warehouse.

Harvey Dent spirit broke by Rachel's death and became Two-Face the killer of six men and the tormentor of his family.

And that torment of his family resulted in pain to all of them and shockingly the acceptance Batman has for being hunted.

He did all he could.

He declared Batman an enemy. He called Rachel an angel. He named Dent a hero – a white knight.

He also comforted his family and soothed their fears that were instigated by the Joker.

But he preferred to keep the good things in his mind.

Despite the loss of three people, the outcome of the people fighting hard for safety and legitimacy in Gotham became stronger.

Sure, corruption was still in play, but there was hope. The memory of Dent and Rachel was key as was the new manhunt to capture Batman.

Some surprising things have happened as well in both the past and the present. Yet they seemed to combine from an interesting conversation with his new friend Anne Vera.

About two weeks of getting to know her and yet they've grown incredibly close.

She was of English-Romanian descent, had the most piercingly expressive green eyes, and uniquely sharp features.

They first met in the Narrows.

He was still getting used to the fact that he was now commissioner. But hearing that five men attacked a woman just made him want to go back out on the field.

He found Anne charming. She definitely didn't belong to a specific place in Gotham. She looked like one of those that just blended wherever she was yet perfectly stands out.

He found himself liking her so much and evidently that she got help from an old ally of his that he would just let her make a statement later.

And the funny thing was that she came to make her statement a little later than he'd hoped.

But luckily her friend who happened to be the new assistant district attorney Edward Vincent Jones told them that her statement was needed.

So the friendship grew. It grew so quickly that he was surprised. But he didn't mind.

A natural affinity to Anne came to him. He enjoyed the conversations they've had, and he loved the how comfortable he felt around her.

A curious thing happened though during one of their conversations.

Anne asked about Bruce Wayne.

A decisive, but not too slow of a conversation began. He found himself explaining to Anne a little about how he felt about Wayne.

He could still remember the little boy in the precinct. He was in a room looking so alone.

His heart had broken over and over at realizing what little Bruce has been through: witnessing his parents' murder.

And what surprised him even more was that no one was bothering to comfort him. He was just in that room – alone, afraid, and empty.

Fatherly instincts had overcome him. He had to go to the young boy.

And he did.

He carefully and in an assuring voice convinced little Bruce to let him cover him up with the coat of his father.

_"Everything is going to be okay."_

He said all that as he placed his hand soothingly on the boy's cheek and slowly ran his fingers through the side of the young boy's hair.

_**I said that everything was going to be okay.**_

He had made sure to check up on the boy for a few years until the young boy turned into a teenager and went to high school.

He would hear a lot of things from the boy's guardian and butler Alfred Pennyworth.

Sometimes the boy was acting out. Other times Bruce was withdrawn. And at times, Alfred didn't know what to think.

But he kept a keen ear on whatever he could find out about Bruce – just to make sure that he was alright.

A thing the concerned him the most was when Wayne disappeared. It shocked him that Bruce Wayne was declared dead. He couldn't believe it.

_**Seven years gone…**_

And then he returned, but this time as a man.

_**A different one from the last kind I heard from…**_

No, the man that returned was a new man – a very different person.

Bruce Wayne had come back to take his seat as the Prince of Gotham and as CEO of Wayne Industries.

He became or at least to the public eye a man who was an obviously smart enough to still have control of his properties. He was seen as a playboy – maybe even a freeloader, but he was a man that people just wanted to be near to. He was and is considered one of the handsomest, one of the most powerful in the world, one of the wealthiest in the world and one of the most influential man in the world.

So different from the boy he kept an eye on.

He was now a playboy. He went to the latest gigs. He dined at all the fancy hotels. And he danced at all the chic clubs.

But despite all of this, there was some remnant of the young Bruce he knew before – the young Bruce Alfred told him about.

He remembered vividly the day when the Joker had convinced a lot of people to come and attack Coleman Reese before he had a chance to reveal who was behind Batman's mask.

He could almost hear Reese gasping something as they entered the police van.

_They're going to kill me._

And he could hear his reply: _Maybe Batman will save you._

But he knew that the sun was still high in the sky. Batman comes out during the night. The man in the dark suit let Gordon and the police to deal with those in the light.

Yet a part of him hoped that somehow – someway that Batman would help even during the day.

But instead, he got help from an unlikely person.

_**Bruce Wayne…**_

He had just gotten a text tip from the Batman that Berg was someone that could be trouble.

And indeed Berg was. Berg's mother was in the hospital. He had a shotgun in his hand. Berg than aimed it at his head.

But then a sudden crash to Wayne's Lamborghini from a truck owned by some other citizen occurred to his surprise.

He quickly knocked Berg unconscious after the collision and handcuffed the officer to the side. He also told Reese to stay put before he could also get hurt.

He had then walked to see who was driving and to his utter surprise it was Bruce Wayne.

_"Bruce Wayne?" he whispered in disbelief._

_What was Bruce Wayne doing in a car crash?_

_Wayne got out of the Lamborghini that was now a metal mess. _

_Gordon put a hand on his shoulder to steady to the curb and helped the young man to sit down on it._

_After Wayne had his head in his hands for a few moments, Gordon asked, "You okay, Mr. Wayne?"_

_A natural worry came over him for the younger man._

_"Call me Bruce. I think so."_

_Gordon didn't think about Bruce's permission for the use of a first name. Instead his mind wondered on why he did it. _

_"That was a brave thing you did."_

_Bruce looked at him curiously, and grinned slightly._

_"What, trying to catch the light?" he said._

_Gordon looked at him in question. It seemed perfectly obvious of why the crash happened._

_"You mean you weren't protecting the van?" he asked._

_Bruce's face showed even more curiosity and showing obliviousness._

_"Why? Who's in it?" he asked._

_Gordon shook his head quickly with a soft and kind of amused smile._

_"You don't watch a whole lot of news, do you, Mr. Wayne?"_

_Bruce shrugged. "It can get a little depressing. Do you think I should go to a hospital?_

_Gordon didn't see any particular damage to Wayne. And besides with the Joker's threats to the hospitals he knew that going to them wasn't the wisest of decisions._

_"Not today."_

After that, he left Bruce to his own devices.

But like he told Anne, he didn't think the whole playboy thing was really who Bruce Wayne was.

He saw something different when that collision. As he talked to Bruce somehow he could just hear something totally sincere about Bruce, and that something to him was that he wasn't just a billionaire playboy.

From that conversation with Anne, he learned that she had encountered the famous Bruce Wayne.

He would like to ask her about it later since from the conversation he could tell that she didn't know a whole lot.

Batman suddenly came into his mind.

Batman had a few encounters with Anne as well. One meeting was when Batman found her home.

Now that was one of the most curious things he's heard about the Batman. Why would he go to Anne's home?

He told Anne that whatever Batman did was for a good reason? But was the good reason for going to Anne's home?

_**I miss him.**_

Sure, he hoped for the day when Gotham didn't need Batman, but he knew that that day wouldn't come right now. Right now Gotham did need Batman and he would be a person who would silently be Batman's ally.

They both have been through so much together. They survived the drug that Dr. Jonathan Crane helped make. They together stopped the rail from going to the middle of Wayne Tower. They fought the Croc together, the Man in Black, and Deadshot. They also fought the Joker, the mob, and sadly Harvey Dent who changed into Harvey Two-Face.

_**He saved my life. I saved his.**_

They were a team.

Before they were a slight team in the public, but no one really acknowledged it. But now they were a silent team for Batman took the blame for the killings Dent did.

Why?

_**Because he can…**_

And Gordon would do everything he can to help his family, he friends, Batman, himself, and Gotham.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was now ten, and Alfred was watching Bruce readying himself in his Kevlar suit.

He also put on the many gadgets on him as well, but before he put on his cowl he turned to Alfred.

"Can you please do something for me?" he asked.

Alfred nodded. "Of course."

"Can you set up a fundraiser?"

"For whom?"

_**Anne…**_

Bruce put his hand behind his neck and rubbed it.

"How many orphanages are here in Gotham?" he asked.

Alfred thought for a moment before he answered. Why would Master Wayne want to know about orphanage?

"Seven total…but the two biggest ones are Gotham Orphanage and Central Orphanage Center," he finally answered.

Bruce nodded.

He did a little research. He needed to know what Anne did for a living besides the occasional paintings.

He found that Anne worked for all the orphanages, but she worked mostly at Gotham Orphanage.

So he had an idea.

He made a choice to befriend Anne.

So a fundraiser was a good idea. A great way to help give back to the city and for him to find a way to get to know Anne – if she would although him.

"The fundraiser is for those seven – invite as many of the elite." Bruce explained. "Donations accepted of course. Three course meal – perhaps, but a meal nevertheless. Live music and dancing"

Alfred raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Bruce asked..

The older lowered the eyebrow as he responded, "Does this have to do with a particular Ms. Vera?"

Bruce didn't answer. He just looked at his friend dumbly.

"Oh, don't look at me like that Master Bruce." Alfred said. "I was looking when you were talking to her back at the auction. And the fact that you searched her on Google."

It was Bruce's turn to raise his eyebrow.

"You've been checking my internet's memory?" he asked.

Alfred smiled as he shook his head. "No, but I have a good memory from watching you do it."

Bruce laughed and turned around. He grabbed the cowl and put it on him.

"Maybe…"

Alfred watched as Bruce walked away.

"Send them as soon as possible preferably by e-mail." Master Wayne added.

Alfred smiled slightly.

Whoever this Ms. Vera was Alfred was officially interested especially when his young charge has suddenly taken an interest in her.

He could tell that Master Wayne wanted to hide it, but he was glad that he couldn't.

**Maybe he'll finally move forward.**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Eddie and his wife Casey smiled as they watched their three children play with play the two dogs.

One of the dogs was a Golden Retriever while the other dog was a German Shepard. He had just told the children that the Golden Retriever was theirs.

He planned on giving the German Shepard to Anne. He remembered that as a child she had a dog, but it died from cancer. So, he knew at once when he saw the German Shepard that was called Shadow he knew that he would be the perfect companion on four legs for Anne.

_**Plus thanks to a good buddy Shadow happens to be highly trained with for protection…**_

His eldest daughter named the Golden Retriever Rose.

His children and his wife have always wanted to have a dog, but he just couldn't find the right one.

It was just his luck to find a great dog for his family and great dog for Anne.

He would give it Shadow to her later in the night.

The kids weren't supposed to be up so late, but he didn't mind. He and Casey decided to let them have fun.

He checked the clock.

_**Ten twelve.**_

He'll try to get there by eleven thirty.

But for now, his family was the important thing. He loved more than anything to see his children laughing.

He kissed Casey's head as she leaned into his arms.

"I love you," she whispered.

Eddie smiled and pulled her into him closer.

"I love you too."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne was listening to her iPod as she sat down on the balcony wall. The music was that playing was that of U2.

It was the song "Miss Sarajevo". The opera singer wasn't in this version because it was just a demo, but fortunately for her she found it.

It was one of the most beautiful songs that she has ever heard.

_Is there a time for keeping your distance_

_A time to turn your eyes away_

_Is there a time for keeping your head down_

_For getting on with your day_

She was looking the print out of an invitation.

It was an invitation from the one and only Prince of Gotham Bruce Wayne.

That surprised her, but when she saw what it was for it wasn't that surprising.

He was holding a fundraiser for all seven orphanages in the city. There would be dinner served, a live band, and some dancing. Donations are appreciated.

**The more who come the more me and a few business partners will donate. Let's help the children. **

** Bruce Wayne**

A question immediately came into her head after receiving the e-mail.

How did Wayne get her e-mail?

But then realization struck her. She had public e-mail thanks to her emergence as a painter.

_Is there a time to run for cover_

_A time for kiss and tell_

_Is there a time for different colors_

_Different names you find it hard to spell_

Should she go?

That was an easy answer. She was a part of all seven orphanages especially Gotham Orphanage. She had to go.

It was a good cause.

_**A heart for Wayne?**_

She wasn't sure, but she'd like to find out. And she would. Besides, she felt very hypocritical. She needed to apologize to him.

And then maybe they could come to an understanding.

_**Friendship?**_

She didn't know if it would go that far. But who knows? Anything could happen. She would just leave it to the fates.

The fundraiser would be held at his penthouse at during this weekend at eight fifteen.

She quieted her thoughts once her favorite part of the song came up.

_Dici che il fiume_

_Trova la via al mare_

_E come il fiume _

_Giungerai a me_

_Oltre i confini_

_E le terre assetate_

"Dici che come il fiume...Come il fiume..." she sung along. "L'amore giungera..."

_L'amore……………_

_E non so piu pregare_

_E nell'amore non so piu sperare_

_E quell'amore non so piu aspettare_

Suddenly she felt a slight breeze and heard a swish in it. She looked up and there he was as promised the Batman.

He was crouched once again looking her. His deep shadowed eyes unnervingly piercing her.

Anne wasn't sure if she would ever get used to it. But then again Batman had an aura about him that was otherworldly.

He was a human she knew that. There wasn't anything like the famed Superman.

Yes, Batman was human. He was clever. He had many gadgets including something that made him fly.

But this made him even more otherworldly. A human who undoubtedly has done what he has done was just amazing.

Yet there were many questions in her mind about him. And she intended to ask them.

Anne took off the earplugs as she stepped back onto the balcony floor. She took a chair from the outside table, and sat in it.

Crossing her legs, she looked at Batman who was now looking at her.

"So…you don't have to answer any of these questions, but I have to ask them," she explained.

Batman smiled inside himself. He didn't mind questions at all. Who wouldn't want to ask him questions?

**I'm glad I don't have to answer.**

He gave her a slight nod in consent.

Anne scratched the back of her left ear with her index finger.

"Why would a man become a bat?" she began.

**The obvious question…**

Batman just titled his head at the question.

"I mean a bat? Really? A bat – I guess is a fearsome creature…" Anne continued. "But then again, it's also one of the most annoying animals…Flying rodents…You ever heard of that? A rat with wings…Ew."

Batman titled his head again. **The comparison has been made before…**

Anne ignored the tilt. She just went on.

"Now, all this high tech stuff…" she said. "Yeah, I know their high tech, but how did you get them? What are you in the day? A scientist? Someone wealthy perhaps? Or both? Maybe you belong to the elite? But then again, you could be a part of law enforcement…retired…or military training…"

**Close…**

Batman didn't move from his position. But he liked what he was hearing. So, for tonight he was here to listen to her question things about him.

"Now, I know trained when I see it…" Anne went on. "You know how to fight – that's quite obvious. You have Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Kung-Fu, and Ju-jitsu in you, but there is something else…You appear and disappear…ninja like almost…"

Batman was impressed. Anne was proving herself quite well at her powers of perception.

**But you haven't guessed my identity. **

Anne looked closer at Batman. She leaned in closer as well. Her captivating green eyes taking everything she sees about him in.

"What would make a man become a symbol – something entirely different as Batman?" she asked. "What motivated you into putting on a Kevlar suit and cowl? What drives you into fighting crime and breaking laws while doing it? You must have some other life in the day? Why do you have two lives?"

Batman almost faltered. Those questions were very good questions.

**A lot of things Anne. A lot of things…**

Anne smiled slightly. "But then again – sometimes a mystery is better than a sense of reality." _**Privacy is important…**_

**Maybe it is… **Batman was about to get on the balcony floor as well, but he heard someone – a male someone called Anne's name.

Anne looked to the sound and back at Batman who was surprised that he didn't immediately leave like he always did.

They looked at each other.

Her smile didn't fade from her face, but it lessened.

"Anne!" the voice called and right after the voice came a surprising and insistent couple of barks.

Anne frowned at this. She turned to the sliding door and stood up. She walked to it and put her hand on the handle.

Before she went in, she turned to look at Batman silently hoping that when she turned her gaze from him that he didn't jump off and leave.

_**Batman…**_

But he wasn't there.

Disappointed, she shook her head. She should have known that he wouldn't stay so long. After all, he was a wanted man and besides she could tell he only came to see her not Eddie and what seems to be a dog.

_**A dog?  
**_That was what she heard after Eddie called her name a second time. What was a dog doing with him and in her home?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Batman stood on the building a few feet away from Anne's balcony. He crouched on top of it and hid himself in its shadow.

But his eyes were glued to Anne's balcony.

The time he wanted spend with her was interrupted by someone – a male someone.

When he first heard it he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of jealously even though he already made the choice of becoming friends with Anne first.

And the other surprising thing was to hear the bark of a dog. He didn't have very good experiences with dogs especially big ones. So, that's why he chose to disappear when Anne turned away.

Yet he would keep a watchful eye and ear. He was curious to find out who the man was and what the dog had to do with it.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Another bark came to Anne's ears, and before she could react a dog – a very large dog that looked like a German Shepard came running to her.

_**What the hell?**_

She then smiled at seeing how absolutely cute the Shepard was. The dog's black-brown hair and its tongue out wagging were adorable.

She bent on one knee and put her hands on the dogs head. She rubbed the back of its ears.

"His name is Shadow. Got him from a friend who owns his own pound." Eddie said.

Anne looked up from the dog while still petting it and her smile returned.

There Eddie was smiling back as he ran his hands through his sandy hair. His brown eyes shining.

"And you got him for me?" Anne asked; smile turning to a grin.

Eddie grinned back. "Why of course! It's the perfect gift. Loyalty, friendship, companionship – a constant at that…and what am I missing? Oh, yes – since he does have a very skilled tongue – a cleaner for dishes etc etc."

And to his enjoyment that was what Shadow was doing. The dog was licking Anne's check fervently.

Anne laughed. She stood up and walked back to the stair; sitting in it as Shadow happily followed.

Eddie walked out into the balcony. He closed the sliding door, walked to the balcony wall, and leaned against it.

"Shadow's not young for his size." Anne said as she continued petting Shadow.

Eddie shrugged. "Yes, but he's stronger than most for his size."

Anne grin widened. "Well, that's great. Thank you Eddie."

"Shadow barked quite furiously earlier…" Eddie mentioned; crossing his arms. "Was someone out here with you? He doesn't bark like that unless he sensed an outsider."

Anne didn't answer. The dog barked because Batman was here. Luckily the dog didn't sniff around further and caught her instead.

Eddie looked at her. He didn't see any hesitation. He just saw a strong refusal to not say anything.

A distinct suspicion rose inside him. It was a thought that came into his mind before.

It had something to do with Batman.

And he was going to voice about it.

"Batman," he simply said.

_**Uh…**_ Anne's eye widened involuntarily. _**That's a quick assumption – an accurate one, but quick. **_

Eddie pushed his tongue to wall of his bottom teeth. So there it was. Proof of Anne's contact with the Batman was given.

**Tell me what I want to hear Anne.**

Anne saw the recognition fire up in Eddie's eyes. But she wanted to defuse it – defuse as quickly as she could.

"Batman's a wanted man. Despite the fact that I don't believe he did anything wrong except break a few minor laws – consorting with him calls for a conspiracy charge," she said.

Eddie didn't like what he was hearing. She was giving me or least trying to give me a serve.

"Don't give me bull, Anne." Eddie called. "It's Batman. He was here tonight."

"What do you want me to say?" Anne asked; trying not to break. She just continued to give a lot of attention to Shadow.

Eddie rolled his eyes. "I said no bull, Anne. He was here wasn't he?"

_**Hiding would do no good…**_

Reluctant, Anne replied, "What if he was? What would you do?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

That question was a question Batman wanted answered. He recognized the man who came and visited Anne.

It was the newest assistant district attorney Edward Vincent Jones.

**I guess he knows Anne. They sound like they know each other well.**

He was struck by how quick Jones was to able discern that it was someone – somebody Anne obviously told him about – was there; someone like him – Batman.

What was Jones stance on him?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Eddie put his tongue against his cheek this time, and tightened his arms.

"I already told you that I would like to meet him. That's no shock. I just need to know what exactly you aredoing around him," he said.

_**What am I doing? I guess I'm doing what you wanted me to do.**_

Anne shrugged. "Nothing…Batman's just checked on me."

"He checked on you?" Eddie asked; unsure of what to make of the Batman checking on his best friend.

"It's nothing, Eddie." Anne said in a voice that would not be questioned.

She stood up and cracked her neck; giving Eddie a look that he knew so well. It was her look of defiance and no one could break it.

Eddie sighed. He wouldn't win this won.

"Alright…" he said as he moved to her.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then petted Shadow. He looked deep into her green eyes.

"About last night…."

Anne shook her head. "Not now…"

Eddie nodded. It was hopeless. Last night was brought too many things to them. It would better to forget, but he knew that they couldn't.

_**Ease it all…**_ "Why don't you meet me and my friends for lunch at Serine's?" Anne offered.

Eddie nodded again. He was glad that she didn't hold anger against him or at least he thought she did.

"I'll be there."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After the conversation, Batman watched Jones walk away and probably out of Anne's home.

**So he wants to meet me.**

He would have to learn more about the man first before any chance of a meeting could take place.

He hoped that maybe he could find an ally out of Jones or maybe even better – an ally and a new White Knight.

Finally, he decided to leave.

He would return the next night and the night after that. For now, he would have to think about the fundraiser. And for tonight, he would finish his rounds across Gotham.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne sighed out of relief after Eddie left. Subsequently, she let out a yawn as she stretched her arms.

_**It's been a long day.**_

Tomorrow would be a new one.

She would discuss the invitation from Wayne with her friends. As well as introduce Eddie to them.

But that's for tomorrow. It was late and she was tired.

She looked down at Shadow and smiled.

"Come on, boy, let's go to bed."

With that she along with the dog went inside.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dr. Harleen Quinzel was an intern at Arkham.

Tomorrow would be a new day for her.

She would interview one of the most intriguing men she has ever heard of.

_The Joker._

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! This is a long one! I had to do it since it worked for the chapter and also for all of you. I hope to update soon! Reviews keep me going! Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that. I am relying on a lot of things besides my own imagination for this story. I rely on the movies, the novelizations, the screenplays, the comics, and so much more.

**A/N**: Yeah! I finally updated. Once again, I would like to remind you all that I will never give up a story and I'm working on this story as well as my others. School's a bizzy…Hope to update soon! Enjoy! Reviews keep me going! And they are appreciated!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

Serine's was a mid-class diner in Midtown. It was a few blocks away from Purple Metro.

It wasn't necessarily a warm day in Gotham, but it wasn't chilly either. The day held no sun, but a touch of humidity was borne.

Anne was already seated a long table with a big umbrella above that was able to cover the whole table.

Beside her was Christine as Lisa sat to her right while Louisa sat in front of Christine, and Sam sat in front of Lisa.

They were waiting for the arrival of one Eddie Vincent Jones. Anne's girlfriends were quite intrigued and excited to see what Jones was made of.

But at the moment, their minds were on one thing: the invitation from Bruce Wayne that everyone received.

"Fundraiser," Lisa repeated. Her face was scrunched up in slight repulsion. "Really?"

Sam shook her head. "What's so wrong with fundraisers? Aren't fundraisers good for the city – helping raising many for those who can't afford…etc…etc?"

"Yes, but think about it... It's Wayne that's calling for the thing." Lisa mentioned.

Anne wanted to roll her eyes, but she knew that it wasn't Lisa's fault. Most of them had been bashing Bruce Wayne for quite some time without apologies or reservations.

She was about to say something, but before she could Christina spoke.

Reluctantly, Anne decided to wait it out and rubbed her chin; listening.

"Lisa, dare I say it, has a point. What has Wayne done for city?" she replied.

Sam shook her head. "I don't know what's the deal with you guys. This hatred for Wayne is so -"

"Whoa!" Lisa interrupted. "I would use the word hate."

Christine nodded in agreement. "Hate is such a strong…" She coughed, "Accurate." Smiling, she continued, "Word.

Anne laughed slightly. Not because her friend said that she held a hatred for Wayne, but how she did it.

Louisa and Sam shook their heads.

"Don't you have logical minds?" Sam asked. She got no answers, but dumb faces from Christine and Lisa. "Wayne Industries is what's keeping this city together. If Wayne Industries falls then we all fall."

Lisa laughed. "Oh, that's ridiculous!"

"Gotham won't fall," added Christine said with a sure tone.

"Can your really believe that? What history do you know of this city?" Sam asked; not the slightest bit irritated at the fact that she was debating with her friends.

"Hello!" Lisa exclaimed. "I've only been in this city for four years."

Christine nodded. "Besides, she's not very good at history."

Lisa glared at him, but Christine added; soothing his friend, "And I'm not good either."

Louisa and Anne looked at each other then back to the conversation.

"I guess as the resident history teacher of course I'd be the only one who knows." Sam said with a shrug. "Bruce Wayne isn't called the Prince of Gotham for no reason. The Wayne family has done so much for this city and will continue to do so."

Louisa nodded. "They gave Gotham the rail, the water line, and so much more."

"They Wayne's have been in this city since its conception." Sam added.

"Bruce "Freeloader" Wayne is nothing, but a spoiled playboy mongrel. And I sure as hell don't give a damn that about his connections or his family heritage. That changes nothing." Christine replied with just as much reason as Sam and Louisa did.

Anne had heard enough. Lisa and Christine were making the same mistakes had made. They were judging a man by taking in stereotypes, gossip, and pure individual ignorance with limited knowledge of the man as true evidence.

"Enough," she said. "You guys don't even know him. You haven't talked to him either. What right do you two have on blasting him to pieces like you always do?"

Everyone looked her in either shock or surprise. Sam was the one who held shock, but her eyes showed quite amusement and approval.

"Whoa…whoa…whoa!" Lisa cried with a confused look on her face. "What are you doing? You're like the biggest and loudest basher of Wayne that I know of. What changed?"

Anne was glad that no accusing looks were thrown her way. She knew that she had been the ultimate critic of Wayne; a hypocritical critic, but a critic all the same.

But after recent events, she knew that she had to change, and extend a hand of friendship or civility when concerning the man.

"First impression held some truth, but not all," she explained carefully. "Unfortunately, I was blinded by ignorance so I never had a true first impression. I took the path of face value…his celebrity – not him."

Sam's eyes widened and then she smiled.

"You met him?" she asked as if that concept was new to her.

There was a certain glint in Sam's eyes that made Anne wonder what her inquisitive friend might be thinking.

"Yeah, met him twice." Anne said. "One at the exhibition and the other at the auction."

Realization hit Lisa.

"Oh, yeah. So how did the second meeting go? You never told us," she mentioned.

All eyes were focused on Anne; every one of them held curiosity for what may have occurred with her and Wayne.

Anne flashed back to the ending statement.

_Simplicity is definitely a part of you._

She didn't know how long that conclusion by Wayne would last in her mind, but she knew that it will always affect her.

"The second meeting….well, it was that meeting where I started to question my opinions on him."

Sam was the first to speak after the vague answer. Her seemingly all knowing eyes glinted again.

Anne could just see the wheels turning in Sam's very active and clever, and mostly accurate and imaginative assumptions.

"My husband tells me that he saw you eating lunch with the commissioner – twice," she said.

The other three besides Anne each raised their eyebrows. This was new to them.

Anne waved the three eyebrow raisers off, but her green eyes met Sam's brown ones with equal force.

If there was anyone besides Eddie that could call her out so effectively it was Sam. It was Sam's gift to hear things and to find the truth without even looking like she was searching for it.

"Ever since the commissioner and I met when I was attacked the five idiots, he and I entered in a form of friendship. And yes, we've become good friends." Anne responded firmly.

The glint in Sam's eyes disappeared. Anne could just see it all coming into her friend's head.

"It is said that Commissioner Gordon and Wayne have a history – not a detailed one, but one with knowledge of the other," she said.

Anne smiled with a short nod. "Yes."

Louis looked between her two friends and felt the tension. She wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but it needed to go away.

"Okay, enough with the Bruce talk. Anyone going?"

Everybody looked at one another in the eye, and then finally Anne said, "I'll go, but one orphanage is not exactly an orphanage. It's a social center as well." She shrugged. "But I can go.

"Donate the money Wayne used to buy that painting." Lisa suggested with a grin.

Anne shook her head. "Surprisingly, I'm not. I'm going to use the money to – nah, you're right – I'll donate it."

"For the sake of the orphanages of course." Christine said with mischief in her eyes.

Anne grinned back. "Of course."

"Speaking of money from purchased paintings…. What are you going to do with all that money from the auction?" Louisa asked.

"Loan it to friends in need." Lisa said and then she pointed to herself. "Like me."

Everyone laughed, but Anne shook her head.

"I've been in Gotham for only two years. And when all the excitement happened like when the whole Batman and the Joker thing started I was either not paying attention or traveling."

"Thank goodness." Christine muttered at her friend's seemingly paragraph long statement.

"Besides I got to pay Sam and her husband back for my home." Anne added.

Sam shook her head. "No prob. Don't worry about it girl."

"Thank you very much."

All of a sudden Lisa laughed hysterically. Anne and the others looked at her in question and as if she finally cracked.

"What?" Louisa asked.

Lisa stopped laughing and rubbed her head as she pointed at Alex.

"No resistance or insistence from Anne over her, that's what." Lisa answered.

Anne nodded not in agreement, but in acceptance.

"Whatever," she replied.

Sam playing raised a lone eyebrow. "You only say that when you know the other is right."

"Oh, good one." Christine commented.

Anne held back her laugh, but revealing uncaringly a wry grin.

"Ladies."

Everyone looked to the railing where there stood beside it was the man they were waiting for.

It was Eddie Vincent Jones.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dr. Harleen Quinn was a blonde although she did want to dye it, but she wasn't sure to what color and when. She had blue eyes and her white skin was neither pale nor deep. Her skin was normal in most people's eyes.

In fact, most of the people in her life called her normal.

It all started with her mother. Her beloved father Willard Quinn had died when she was only seven years old. All she had left was her mother.

And what a mother she was!

Harleen never had a good standing relationship with her mother.

Ara Quinn was a stern and easily disappointed woman. She looked down on others and though herself as a goddess incarnated. She was obsessed with herself. She was constantly trying to make her body bigger, fuller, and put up layers of make up.

Harleen hated make-up. She believed in herself. She didn't need to hide behind mascara. She had no use for a mask. She didn't have anything to cover up.

But that didn't stop her mother from saying – actually, yelling otherwise. Her mother constantly reprimanded her on being normal; on not being better than others and using her greatness to bring her higher.

Harleen hated to be categorized even if the category was called unique. She wanted something else.

Underestimated. She belonged there. And she didn't mind.

Getting her degree in psychology wasn't particularly easy. Money had been a problem, but she found ways to make ends meet. She borrowed money, and got two very different jobs. And she even did some underhand work.

Her goal was to succeed on her own terms.

And she did.

She was in the top five of her class.

After the public dismissal of Dr. Jonathan Crane, the position of Chief of Research came to her.

She was twenty-nine. She didn't have a lot of experience.

But she got the job.

She eagerly accepted her superiors request that she should interview their latest resident – the Joker.

What psychologist and psychoanalyst in his or her right mind wouldn't want to take the chance to talk to one of the most intriguing personalities ever known to mankind?

If one could get into the head of the Joker – anything could be possible in the world and that could elevate someone's career.

She could prove that she wasn't normal per say, but her – Harleen Quinn.

"Remember, get the facts. Ignore the bull. He's insane, but he's also clever. He can manipulate. Don't let him take control," said the head of Arkham's right hand man Louis Taylor.

Harleen could see the Joker sitting down in the white straight jacket and white trousers. He had a smile on his face.

He looked so different without his homemade attire and his uneven makeup.

She smiled at Taylor; assuring him with it.

"Don't worry, doctor. You'll be right here watching."

Taylor nodded. "I'll be in there in a second if he becomes too much."

"I'll be fine. The man is in a straight jacket. I doubt that there will be any danger. He's not Hannibal Lecter."

Taylor didn't blink. "No, he's worse."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Sow what did you think about him?"

Christine shrugged at Sam's question.

Anne and Eddie had already departed; heading off to their respective jobs, but Christine and the others stayed behind for they would work a little later.

"I thought that hew was a mirror image of Anne." Christine replied.

Louisa nodded. "Good man. Liked his sense of humor – very keen."

Sam looked at Lisa.

"What about you?" she asked; taking on a tone of a moderator.

Lisa grinned. "Beautiful man."

Christine rolled her eyes. "That's hardly surprising coming from you."

"Never mind her." Sam said with a shake of her head. "I thought he was someone perfect for Gotham as a future D.A."

"You're thinking that far ahead already?" Louisa asked. "Elections are far off from now."

"So? I'm looking into the future. Gotham can't last on the image of Harvey Dent." Sam insisted. "And that new D.A. is a jerk who will just lie down to the underworld."

"What about the Batman?" Lisa asked.

Sam replied quickly and assertively, "He's been declared a criminal. I know that we believe in him, but the majority of Gotham don't. We need a hero with a face."

"And you think one Edward Vincent Jones is that hero with a face?" Christine asked.

Sam nodded. She leaned in closer.

"The city needs to live again. Right now we've just woken up from a long coma. Now it's time to get back on track. Gotham needs its life back. And Eddie could be a key to Gotham's revival."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Sorry," the woman said as she quickly went on her knees to pick up the fallen and scattered papers on the floor.

Gordon looked down at the dirty blonde haired woman he had just crashed into while on his way to check up on his old squad in the Major Crimes Unit.

He feeling apologetic and somewhat obliged he too went on his knees and helped the dirty blonde lady with gathering her papers.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," he said.

"Nonsense," said the woman.

Her voice was incredibly gravitating and deeply elevating. The utter felinity of her voice struck him.

And then she raised her head, and he looked fully at her; suddenly unable to move.

She was a young looking woman probably in her thirties – early thirties. Her white skin was touched with slight paleness, but looked smooth. And her eyes complemented her dirty blonde hair. Her eyes were of a remarkable grey blue color.

Her eyes suddenly widened as a shy and embarrassed smile formed on her full lips.

"Commissioner!" she exclaimed.

She quickly stood up as she forced the gathered papers in neat position.

"I was in a hurry," she explained. "I had to quickly copy these papers for my case."

Gordon smiled warmly. "Do you work in MCU?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, I'm Detective Sarah Essen, sir. Just transferred from New York City."

"New York City? How does it compare to Gotham?"

Sarah smiled a beautiful and strong smile. "I believe in Gotham. I can do good here."

_**How beautiful…**_

Shocked by the thought; Gordon's own smile faded. A little hesitation came inside of him.

_**Where did that come from?**_

He decided that he needed to leave – immediately.

"Nice meeting you, Detective Essen. Welcome to Gotham P.D."

And before he could here her reply, he hurried off and away – deciding not to go up to MCU lest he meet Sarah Essen again.

He just had to get away.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Upon returning to Gotham Orphanage, Anne started toward her appointed office, but before she could enter she spotted her boos Evelyn Benson talking to a man down the hallway to her left.

Curious, she stepped closer to get a better view, and to her surprise the man was Bruce Wayne.

She widened her eyes at the sight of him. She looked at her office. The door was open. She had to get in before Wayne sees her. She didn't know what she would say if comes by.

She tried to walk quickly and looking normal, but her boss caught her.

"Anne!"

She stopped right in her tracks; resisting an urge to ignore and flee.

_**Brave face. Remember you decision.**_

She turned to see Evelyn and Wayne stopping about a few feet in front of her. She walked in to close some of the space, and smiled politely at both Evelyn and Wayne.

Wayne had a different smile on his face from the ones she had seen before.

It looked genuine, calm, and – friendly, but it also held a degree of an ego, and pride.

"Ms. Vera." Wayne greeted with a nod.

"We were just discussing the details of the fundraiser." Evelyn explained. "I also regretfully told him I couldn't be there, because of my daughter."

"That's too bad." Anne replied although not meaning it.

"Miss Benson was talking to me about your involvement with all the orphanages in the city." Wayne added. "Admirable work for a painter."

Anne didn't know how to respond to the insult – or maybe the compliment. She couldn't tell.

"Did she?" Anne asked; glancing at Evelyn who in turn grinned and walked away saying that she would like the two to speak at least once.

Bruce looked at the jean clad Anne who seemed to have curly hair. He couldn't help, but wonder if her hair was naturally curly and if she straightened it every time he saw her.

And her emerald orbs were no longer dim, but bright.

She looked **beautiful.**

"Yes, and I hope that you accept my invitation. The fundraiser wouldn't be right without you," he said.

It wasn't nerve-racking to be alone with Bruce Wayne. She had been alone with him twice before, but this time was different.

Anne had made a choice to be on friendly terms with the billionaire and she intended to be true to that choice.

But how would Wayne take it?

She gave him a wider polite smile and nodded. "Yes, I am coming and so are my friends."

Bruce nodded. **Yes, your friends. How can I forget them?**

"There will be many guests," he said; for the first time unsure if it was the right thing to say.

Anne nodded; hiding her slight disgust at the thought, but remembered her choice and reprimanded herself at letting hypocrisy take its turn.

"Socialites…" she repeated.

"And the Mayor, Commissioner Gordon, and the D.A., and his assistants." Bruce added; warming up his smile.

Anne could see the smile. She knew that he warmed it up.

And she didn't know why, but it made her shiver.

"And they would gratefully accept," she said; trying a hand at weak humor.

"Of course." Bruce said; his voice welcoming as he pushed his hands into his pant's pockets as he looked at Anne with his hazel eyes; shining. "It's a fund-raiser."

The look he was giving her was slightly uncomfortable.

"No, it's their duty." Anne countered, but not with the heat that she used before.

Bruce's hazel eyes flashed. "Duty? Yes." His eyes became softer, but it still found a way of making Anne unsure of herself.

"Of course, it's a fund-raiser." Bruce replied in a matter of fact tone.

_**Really? **_"Didn't I say that it was their duty?" she snapped lightly.

She then mentally slapped herself after the sentence.

_**Be careful with that tongue of yours, Anne!**_

Bruce merely smiled wider; showing no irritation or annoyance. No, he actually looked amused.

"Duty…Yes…But actually we do care…" he said.

"Like you?" Anne asked; uncomfortably moving her foot up and down from the floor.

Bruce's eyes flashed again. "Yes, I care."

Anne didn't know what it was, but Bruce's gaze was unnerving. She didn't understand it. Before, his eyes never made her antsy, but now that she was determined to remain friendly with him her take on his eyes became so different.

Bruce nodded at her, rubbed his chin thoughtful, and then said, "It was nice seeing you again, Ms. Vera. Until the fund-raiser…"

Anne blinked at the abrupt ending; sensing no change and no progress at all.

"Until then…" she replied slowly after she gulped and put a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She watched almost regretfully as Bruce turned and walked away.

_**So much for sending a hand a friendship.**_

She would try again – maybe on the night of the fundraiser. She didn't know.

Anne quickly turned away and hurried into her office.

She shut the door and leaned against it; unsure of exactly what happened.

_**I'll find out.**_

"At the fundraiser…" she muttered.

She looked at her hands and found that they were shaking.

She didn't know why.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Harleen kept her composure steady as the man only known as the Joker looked at her with his eerie, animalistic, and brutally deceptive brown eyes.

She put the folder of his file in front of her and opened it to the first page which showed the Joker's old look; the look with unevenly applied makeup, green dye on the tip of his hair, and the homemade suit.

But he still had his scars. Those scars made her feel a little squirmy and anxious even though he no longer was wearing his outfit and the make up included.

No, all she saw was the face behind the makeup. She was glad the make up wasn't on, because it seemed to emphasize the scars.

What she saw wasn't exactly horrifying, but unnerving all the same. The Joker without the make up had a very well cleaned and white skin, and his hair no longer had the dye. He was wearing white trousers. And his scars, they were curved and jagged.

He looked both sad and frightening and she felt strangely sympathetic.

Despite the pure evil she knew he had, she couldn't help but feel somewhat attracted to the madman before her.

"And you are?" he suddenly asked; revealing white teeth.

_**Seems the dentist did his work.**_

He had a very malevolent in subtle way type of smile. It was filled with interest, curiosity, and surprisingly merriment.

His voice wasn't too low. The depth to it was powerful. It seemed that it not only was controlled by the Joker's mind, but also by something otherworldly.

Not smiling back, she replied, "Dr. Harleen Quinn."

At once she knew her mistake. She had just given the man some leverage.

_**Rookie.**_

The Joker leaned forward even more closer to her. His grin was maddening, but also it looked very controlled.

"Dr. Harleen Quinn…" he said. "Hmmm….Harleen…harquin…Aha, my Harlee… Greetings!"

Harleen didn't bother to give him a response. She would not get pulled into his game.

"I know your real name isn't Joker. Why that name instead of the name of your birth?" she asked.

The Joker frowned. It looked so deadly.

"Questions? Why ask questions? They're sooo bor-ing…" he said.

"Why call yourself the Joker?" Harleen asked; ignoring his remark.

"What? Don't like my name Harley?" he replied; once again completely unobserving her question.

_**Harlee? Harley? **_She instantly wanted to hate the nickname, but she couldn't. _**Why? **_Because she hated her own name. It reminded her so much of her father and unfortunately – her mother.

"Being uncooperative won't swerve me, Mistah J," she said; giving the Joker another nickname.

Ignoring the raised eyebrow he gave, Quinn continued, "I've got all the time in the world and I bet you do too. After all, solitary confinement can be a bitch. And oh so bor-ing."

The Joker grinned again. He applauded mockingly.

"Very good. So very good. Slapped a retort on me!" he winked and then stopped clapping. "You want to get inside my head, dontcha?"

The look he was giving her was both turbulent and disagreeable.

Unfazed, she wrote a few notes on a spare sheet of paper.

"Trying to hide with rude and seemingly random remarks…" she muttered.

"Rude? Oh, I'm not rude. Believe that, Har Har Lee…." The Joker insisted with glees dripping from his tone. "Random? What exactly is randomness? To come upon chance? Hmm, may-be… But if you look in a dictionary the word is chaos. Thank you very much."

Intrigued by what may be a subtle hint of initiative, Harleen looked deeply into the Joker's wild yet controlled cocoa eyes.

"Chaos… Complete disorder… Confusion… The beginning of everything in Greek mythology. Or the dictionary term: the confused unorganized state existing before the creation of distinct forms. So which are you? Or maybe you are all. Do answer, Mistah J…" she responded confidently.

The Joker shifted slightly. His brown eyes seemed translucent. His complexion deepened in color.

"Chaos…" he smiled. "Do you want to know how I got these scars?"

And there it was. The question that she had wanted to ask most. How did he really get those scars?

_**But this could be a question…with a motive that wont end well for me…**_

Yet, she so wanted to know. She had been curious about the Joker for so long and especially intrigued by those enigmatic scars.

She was hesitant.

"Come on, Harleen, I know you want to know…" The Joker said.

_**I never liked my name.**_

She stood up and went to the door.

Before turning the knob, she looked back at him and said, "This isn't done. Tomorrow Mistah J."

She then left as the Joker laughed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Barbara woke up with a silent scream. Panic filled her heart as sweat poured down her body. She could just feel her fear and anguish pounding in her heart.

She looked around and finally realized that she wasn't in the warehouse, but in her bedroom.

She reached to her right, but found that no one was lying beside her.

Jim wasn't there.

She checked the time.

_10:30_

It was ten thirty and her husband still wasn't home.

Where was he?  
Then the realization hit her.

Jim was at work.

She sighed, and felt upset. Feelings of disappointment, slight anger, irritation, and sorrow filled her mind.

She should be used to this. She should be used to the late nights and the early mornings.

She should be, but she wasn't.

She couldn't help, but feel unwanted; slighted. Was it fair? Maybe not. But her husband was spending less and less time with her and the children and spending more and more time at work.

It had already been hard enough when he was merely a lieutenant, but now as acting commissioner it felt like he didn't' even lie in the house anymore.

_**Gotham's filled with scum; treacherous, ugly, and sinful scum.**_

But he had a family. He had a family to spend time with; to love and protect.

Yet she couldn't help, but notice Jim is less and less in the family life. Sure, he'd come home and kiss her and the children, but he always looked like he harbored some secrets or just looked like he rather be somewhere else – rather be working than being with his family.

She shook her head from the agonizing thoughts as tears fell down her cheeks.

She laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes; desperately searching for sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne was surprised to find Eddie in her living room watching TV. intently with Shadow sleeping soundly under his legs which were propped upon her coffee table; feet crossed.

Closing the door rather loudly, she locked it, and said, "Hi. Nice to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Eddie didn't look at her, but he smiled.

"Have I no right to visit my friend? I.e. you?" he asked. "I've done it many times before."

"I still don't know how you get in." Anne said as she placed her purse and keys on a side table. "Maybe I should place a camera outside."

Eddie laughed; looking at Anne who sat beside him mimicking his sitting posture.

"Cameras can't see me!" he cried in his best John Cena voice.

Rolling her eyes, Anne replied, "Not only is the coming into my home unannounced bad, but so is that accent. I should call the cops." She then grinned. "Eddie…" she added. "You really need to start coming by when I'm home and knocking."

"Ah, using your friendship with the Commissioner against me – your bestest pal – oh that's cruel." Eddie said as Shadow jumped and plopped himself between Eddie and Anne; placing his head on Eddie's lap and his bottom on Anne's. Eddie grinned. "But the fun would be gone."

"No, I can't help but wonder what your family thinks of this." Anne said.

Eddie started rubbing Shadow's ears as he answered, "Her mother has come from Metropolis."

Anne looked at him and laughed.

"Are you afraid of her?" she asked with a wide grin; eyes bright with amusement.

Eddie looked at her as if she was stupid – only for a moment though.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here," he said.

Anne laughed at the thought of Eddie being terrified of his mother-in-law. It was so humorous because Eddie wasn't afraid of that many things.

"So are you going to Wayne's fundraiser?" Eddie suddenly asked.

"Yes." Anne replied; giving him an assuring and almost confident look. She knew full well that he didn't know about what happened between her and Wayne.

"Good. So will I."

"I know."

Anne didn't want to sit on the couch anymore. She wanted to see Batman, but she wanted Eddie to have a place to crash in.

She stood up; thus making Shadow go to the floor.

"Where are you going?" Eddie asked.

Anne smiled. "The balcony."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Batman landed on the balcony wall and to his surprise found Anne not waiting for him.

Instead, he saw Anne and the ADA Jones sitting together; asleep.

The wind's strength was light, and the moon bright as it swayed with the stars.

He had never seen Anne sleeping before.

She looked peaceful.

She looked free.

He smiled to himself; deciding that he would leave them in peace.

_**Goodnight, Anne.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: I apologize greatly for not updating this. I hope you enjoy this. Review. I need feedback!


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimers**: I do not own any of the familiar things or characters that you are able to see. I do own Edward Vincent Jones, and of course Anne Vera. I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that. I am relying on a lot of things besides my own imagination for this story. I rely on the movies, the novelizations, the screenplays, the comics, and so much more.

**A/N**: I apologize for the lack of updating for any of my stories, but life is so hectic. Believe me when I say that I'm working on all my stories it's just a little difficult time for me this month. Well, I hope you like this chapter. Reviews appreciated!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

Jim Gordon waited patiently in assistant district attorney Edward Vincent Jones' office. He found a note on his own desk written by the ADA's own hand. It said that a meeting between the two would be important to the city and its people and to each other.

Ever since their first introduction meeting where he first began to bond with Anne, Jim knew that Jones was a man of the law, and of Gotham. He even dared to ask around, and searched the Internet about the man.

Edward Vincent Jones was born in Cincinnati, and raised in Baltimore, and then took up residence in San Francisco. He then entered Harvard Law at a young age and graduated at the top of his class. And then finally, after marrying his college sweetheart he moved to Metropolis to take part in their Internal Affairs office.

It was in Metropolis where Jones made a name for himself. He wasn't that outwardly famous, but in terms of the business of lawyers and politicians Jones was a rising star.

He spoke to a contact of his in Metropolis, and learned that many politicians and lawyers consider Jones as the protector of the people and defender of the innocent. Jones was also called a slayer of crime, and a ruthless prosecutor when threatened which he had been many times before.

_**He's just what Gotham needs.**_

Anne knew the man well. He could tell from the moment they turned to see Jones standing in the doorway. It was also from Anne where he got some extra information about Jones and where his stance on certain things was on such as the considered to be a murderer the masked vigilante Batman.

_"I've known him for many years. He's my best friend," she said. "Overall, a wonderful man…if there's a flaw in him than it's that he cares too much. But then again his singing is highly tragic."_

_Laughing, Jim accepted the glass of water the waiter gave him._

_"I already prefer him over the current DA," he admitted._

_Anne's emerald eyes sparkled._

_"I think that ambition for him has never been a strong factor. He doesn't mind power, but he knows the troubles that come with it," she explained. "I never asked him if taking office was a goal, but I expect that if the people closest to him advise him to do so then - he probably would if that office doesn't compromise his ideals and personal ethics."_

_"I'm going to be honest with you. This isn't official – it's personal," he quietly replied. "The current DA is questionable."_

_"Do you think he's corrupt?"_

_He shook his head. "He may not be corrupt, but he sure isn't a fighter against crime."_

_"So, he's not necessarily fit for the job." Anne ventured._

_"And in this city one needs to be more than fit for the job." Gordon added._

_Anne looked a little thoughtful for a moment, and then she what she said next was so slowly put out that Jim could easily hear the hesitation in her voice._

_"What would you do if you capture the Batman?"_

_He was slightly taken aback by the question. He had to drink about half of the water to be able to reply. He rubbed his chin._

_"Once he's brought to justice, he'll be charged with a multitude of things, and promptly brought before a jury of his peers to be prosecuted," he answered although he had no wish to ever have what he said happen._

_Anne's eyes flashed mysteriously. "So you already designated the Bat as a man. Well, we both should know. We've both encountered him and spoken with him at least once before."_

_He nodded. "Yes."_

_"And we both disagree with the early sentiment."_

_"Yes."_

_Anne smiled a beautiful smile. "I won't speak for Eddie on the masked vermin. You'll have to ask him yourself."_

And he intended to do just that. It was important to know how Jones felt about the Batman.

_**Will I tell him truth?**_

Could he risk it?  
"I'm glad you came."

A hand clasped his shoulder and then squeezed it. Then Edward Vincent Jones face appeared before him as he sat down and tucked himself in the desk.

His smile was genuine with mischief in his eyes as he continued, "The poor DA took most of my time. So my attention was directed to him – unfortunately."

Jim smiled in return; appreciating the other man's kindness and the little snub against their current DA.

"It's all a pleasure," he replied.

Eddie's eyes brightened somehow as he put his cell phone on the table.

"The door is secure, and I've made sure that no one shall here what is spoken in here," he assured. "Confidentiality is the best policy."

Jim arched a playful eyebrow. "I thought 'honesty is the best policy.'"

Eddie nodded. "That too," he said.

The younger man undid his tie and then cast it off to the floor. He ran his hands through his hair with a soft sigh.

"Who important is Anne to you?" he finally asked.

Jim was quite surprised by the question. What did Anne have to do with the meeting?  
"She and I are particularly close." Jones explained. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but Anne's been through a lot." He raised his hand before Jim could ask for more details. "She trusts you. And she's counseled me to be honest with you on many levels."

He leaned back.

"I propose you ask a question, I answer truthfully, and vice versa," he offered.

Jim nodded. Jones seemed to be informative and intelligent. He suspected that Anne wouldn't be the only link between them.

"That sounds alright with me," he consented.

"Great!" Jones proclaimed. He looked at Gordon closely. "Should I call you just commissioner, or do you have a preferred title?"

With most politicians and lawyers, Jim preferred to be called commissioner, but something inside told him to be more trusting towards the younger man. There was indeed something about Jones that just screamed respectability and accountability.

He felt instinctively that this man before him was the right man for Gotham.

"Jim would be good," he replied. "Commissioner in public."

Jones smiled. "As expected… I suggest the same would go for me. Like Anne, call me Eddie. I hate being called Edward." He scrunched his face. "Never liked it…sounded too formal – to British."

Jim grinned. Eddie grinned back.

They both knew that whatever ice was between them had been officially melted.

"Your turn." Eddie said.

Making himself more comfortable, Jim asked, "Have you really seen Superman?"

He and Eddie were both surprised and amused that that particular question was asked.

In fact, Jim knew that the witnessing of the hero Superman wasn't that important of a question, but that didn't mean that he wasn't curious.

Eddie laughed. "I've never seen Superman. There is no known photograph of the Man of Steel, but I do hear a lot of stories when he was there. But he seems more of a myth than reality."

Jim had thought so, but before he could add this particular part of their conversation Eddie added something else.

"The same could be said about the Batman."

Eddie's dark eyes pierced him intensely after the statement concerning Gotham's most famous or infamous vigilante.

Jim refrained from shifting in his seat. The sudden mention of the Dark Knight had caught him off guard. He didn't expect that their conversation would turn to the Batman so quickly.

He chose to remain calm. He did want to know what Eddie thought of Gotham and Batman. He felt that besides the silent rooters he was one of the only allies that the Bat had. No one knew that he didn't believe in the guilt of his ally and friend the Bat except for the masked man himself, his family, and Anne.

"That indeed could be said, but many would doubt that." Jim carefully said. "Besides there's footage of the man."

Eddie's eyes flashed momentarily. He then grinned with a nod.

"I've seen the footage. Such a thing could have been easily manipulated… Technology these days… Stories such as Big Foot and the Monster of Loch Nest are considered to be true by so called eyewitnesses or people who just want to instill fear into the hearts of men," he said. But then he laughed as he tilted his head. "But then again our mutual friend – dearest Anne – has hinted of a belief in this Bat, and also has pointed out the sincerest belief of innocence; that all is not as they seem."

Anne had never outright spoken of her certain beliefs concerning the Batman to him, but Jim had seen and heard subtle hints from her. He remembered when she asked him if she could touch the black steel form of the Bat at the broken floodlight which he destroyed.

He suspected she didn't believe in the Batman's guilt. And now Eddie confirmed it.

"I guess her perception on this subject is agreed on my part and maybe yours?" Jim softly questioned.

Eddie's grin never faltered. Instead it became wider. He clapped once and then chuckled.

"Well, that's all I need to know," he said. He looked intently at the man before him. "I will not answer any more questions. I'll just tell you what I know." Jim sat up straighter; ears perking up. "I know that you had a special relationship with this Batman. I know that you frequently partnered with him to take down various criminals."

Jim made no move to interrupt or to protest his case. It could be seen that Eddie trusted his instincts and was quite able at reading people.

Satisfied, Eddie continued, "So it seems strange that the Batman was once considered a savior of Gotham to the majority including yourself suddenly announce him guilty off murder and the such…" He folded his hands. "I've read, heard, and saw different accounts of the incident that led to Harvey Dent's death. You claimed that he was killed by the Batman." He gave a slight pause. "I saw your speech." He too sat up straighter. "I may not know you well, but I can see beneath the surface. You didn't believe even half of the things you said. And neither did I." He smiled. "Evidence suggests that Batman didn't do any of the murders. But me… I see that that evidence is inconclusive. Why would a man who was once considered as the hero of the people suddenly turn into a mass murderer?" His eyes glazed over with a hidden emotion. "Logic overpowers the need for blame. Logic points not to the Bat, but to the White Knight himself."

Jim finally shifted. _**And you do know more than most.**_

"Did not the Joker and his cronies make the Bat choose between Dent and Dawes? I guess that since Rachel Dawes is a women and is familiar with – after all, Miss Dawes convicted the mobster Batman first handed over in a dish served almost cold. Dent was dating her. Her death must have changed him. Tragic events have a way of doing things like that."

Eddie leaned closer to the older man as he handed Jim a folder.

"In here is my evidence against Dent. Several other psychological analyses proving that grief may cause chemical breaks in the brain. And my personal review on this Batman."

Jim took the folder filled with papers. He once again looked deeply at the assistant district attorney. The younger man was serious; honest. He deemed Eddie an important ally.

"And I want to meet him."

Jim had no will to object. In fact, he didn't want to. An instinctual inclination to trust Eddie came to him after Eddie's speech.

"Give me your number and I'll call you whenever I can procure a private place for us and our misunderstood knight," he offered.

Eddie nodded and took out his business card. He wrote down his cell phone number on it and then handed it to Jim.

"Text me. I don't like phone calls. I tend to stutter."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sarah Essen looked around the whole section of MCU. She was an experienced detective who was promoted to the head of the Major Crimes Unit in New York City. And when the job was vacated by James Gordon who was now holding the title of commissioner she opt to take the job, but then she decided that she would prefer to ear her way to the top.

The head of the MCU Lt. River Bancroft suddenly appeared in front of her. He was tall man; lean in structure with a muscled frame. He had small sideburns and a slight mustache. His eyes were both grim and kind; bluish-green. His skin tanned, but unevenly so – that it looked like he got it from a machine.

"I hear you specialize in serial offenders," he said.

Sarah nodded respectfully as she carefully put aside some other files on her desk.

"Yes, sir. I've dealt with most serial offenders during my tenure in New York City and in most of my professional career," she replied.

Lt. Bancroft nodded as well. He handed her a file that looked to be five inches thick.

Sarah opened the folder filled with paper as her superior continued.

"You are going to head this case. Three churches have been burned down in the past month. At first, no one considered these churches to be connected." Bancroft said.

Looking closely, Sarah found that only the churches were burned, and no one was hurt.

"So it escalated," she presumed; thinking back to all of her experience concerning these kinds of cases.

Bancroft nodded again. "First categorized as a hate crime. Then it was soon assessed that the crime was not just against Catholics, but also against Protestants, and the people of the Orthodox faith too." He gave her another folder. "This happened last night. A temple at Mason Street was burned down the same way the Christian churches were."

"Petroleum and gun powder…" Sarah filled in. "Ignites with a homemade bomb." She paused. "And this time someone was in the Temple."

"Yes. So now there's a connection. Proceed on, Detective Essen." Bancroft said and then left.

Sarah went over the facts quickly to herself.

_**Holy places… starts out with serial arson… Now murder… Petroleum and gunpowder… all on the walls… Homemade materials for homemade bombs.**_

__She wouldn't make any conclusions yet. She looked at the file and decided immediately that she what she would do first.

_**First start with the most recent, and then on to the first.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Master Bruce was out of the penthouse. So Alfred decided to start organizing the home and to clean it up a bit.

The phone rang.

Alfred picked it up, and waited to hear a voice.

"Good afternoon, Alfred."

Alfred smiled. "Lucius…What may I do for you?"

Fox's laughter seemed to echo through the receiver.

"Fund-raiser is tomorrow… I can see Bruce's natural – connection to orphans, but I have the idea that it's not all about the orphanages for him," he said.

Alfred sat down on the couch, and chuckled to himself. He should have known that he wasn't the only one that had suspicions on the true meaning of this particular fundraiser.

_**I know it wasn't to keep up appearances.**_

"I've done some research and I expect it is all for one Miss Anne Vera," he replied.

He had to admit to himself that he just might be gossiping, but that didn't matter. He loved Master Bruce and he knew Lucius did as well. They both constantly gave each other updates on the young man they both considered to be like a son.

"Anne Vera…" Lucius repeated… "Ah, yes the young woman who made the piece of art that is currently hanging on Bruce's office wall."

Alfred smiled with slight amusement. _**So she is a factor…**_

He had to watch his young master grieve over Rachel with such intensity that he feared for Bruce.

He feared that Master Bruce would seclude himself, lose the will to love, forgetting himself, distance, and living like a ghost.

_**And he was like that.**_

"I think they met at the Exhibition. Maybe this fundraiser would do some good. I have a source – the owner…" Lucius went on. He paused for a moment. "I know the way he's been, but surely you must've notice the extra step in his walk – the subtle – maybe even slight tone of change as days go by with him…"

Alfred nodded to himself. Lucius had come to know Bruce well.

"You are coming?" he asked.

"Yes." Lucius immediately answered.

"Then I suggest we jointly watch over Master Bruce and see where this all goes."

"Agreed."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce was flirting with the receptionist of the Sunshine Hotel Miss Sandy Belle when his eyes caught the figure of one Edward Vincent Jones.

The Metropolis import was talking or maybe debating with another well known lawyer, but this lawyer was a defense attorney to the new leader of the Italian mafia Lucian Victorino.

Sal Maroni's men battled for over a month for his throne and the triumphant one was Lucian Victorino.

As Batman, Bruce kept a close eye on this new mob boss. And so far, Victorino had yet to make a sound; he just kept on being quite. There were no immediate moves except marrying his college sweetheart Mary Cooper.

He kept his eyes on Jones and his countenance. He already knew that Jones was curious about Batman. He also knew that he was close to Anne.

He couldn't help but wonder how close they exactly were.

He mentally shook his head. No, he listened to some of their conversations. He knew that they were merely friends.

_**And besides he's married.**_

Jones looked quite calm around Victorino's lawyer.

What Bruce did learn about the ADA friend of Anne was that he was married with two children. He was a famous man in Metropolis; top of his class at Harvard Law and a man known for his complete and utter sense of justice. He was a man of the people.

He then watched as the defense attorney left and he could tell by the man's frown that whatever Jones had to say wasn't to his liking.

_**I like you already.**_

He turned quickly back to flirting with Belle after seeing that Jones was making his way towards the receptionists' desk.

Jones now stood next to him, and he caught by the corner of his eyes that the assistant district attorney wanted to talk to the other receptionist.

This receptionist wasn't paying attention to who was in front of her. So Bruce smiled kindly at Belle and pretended to look slightly surprised at seeing Jones next to him.

"I finally see the man of Metropolis," he said cordially.

Jones faced him and he too had a look of slight surprise. But he quickly pushed it aside with an impressive amount of ease to friendliness.

The man's dirty blonde hair and dark eyes looked better than from afar. Bruce now understood why despite being a crime fighter would make Jones quite popular in Metropolis and in Gotham.

But it was Jones' eyes that drew Bruce with interest. He had a feeling in his gut that this man's eyes were to intimidate whether slightly or not.

"I wouldn't call myself the man of Metropolis." Jones replied with a small smile. "That title belongs to man my from Krypton." He chuckled a bit. "I'm number two. But you are most definitely number on man – no, Prince of Gotham."

He extended his hand.

"I'm sure you know me like I know you, but I'll do it anyway. I'm Edward Vincent Jones," he introduced.

Mirroring the man's smile, Bruce took Jones' hand and shook it. _**Strong grip. **_Once loose, he put his hand on the counter, and said, "I'm Bruce Wayne. Nice to finally meet you, Counselor."

Jones' eyes twinkled at being called counselor. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Pleasure," he gave back. His dark eyes looked at Bruce inquisitively. "Thank you for inviting me to your fundraiser. I really appreciate it."

Bruce shrugged. "Well, considering your reputation I had to. Besides I have a feeling that the DA wants a representative."

Jones grinned. "Yes, good 'ole district attorney is unable to go." He shrugged as well. "A shame. I would have gone either way since my friends were also invited."

_**Anne…**_

Her image came into Bruce's head especially the look she gave him as Batman when she touched his face.

"And considering your reputation – your fundraisers prove to be successes."

Hiding the look of him being brought back into reality, Bruce grinned as well. He blinked and then asked, "How's life in the office?"

Jones' grin never faded, but widened. "Crime here is one of a kind. All thought some thing do get old… Either way I'll fight it all with everything I got."

Now Bruce would mention the important.

"Haven't seen the psycho Batman yet?" he asked; twisting his posture to go along with his question.

"No, never seen him personally although I've asked a certain officer about this vigilante…Maybe if I do meet him. I'll tell you what I think." Jones calmly replied.

Bruce saw no change in the other man. There was no flash of the eye, no twitch, or even the slight drip from the sweat gland. It seemed that Jones had a master of a poker face.

"But to do that he has to be arrested," he said; trying to get a reaction from the ADA.

Jones smiled; revealing nothing. "Maybe."

Bruce smile back. He didn't' doubt that Jones expected him not to get what he just said, but he did. The man wanted to meet Batman.

Glancing at the clock, Bruce smiled wider as he half turned.

"If you would excuse me. I'll see you at the fundraiser."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Joker smiled at the sight of Dr. Harleen Quinn come inside the room and sit in front of him. He tilted his head slightly and folded his hands. It seemed that the dearest doctor decided that he should not be in a straight jacket, but in handcuffs.

_**Kink-eey…**_

He noticed that her blouse's buttons were not buttoned, and that some parts of her hair looked disheveled despite the obvious attempt to make it not so.

_**What have you been dooo-ing?**_

"I'm sooo dis-appointed," he said with his usual tics and spasm like syntax. "Why not visit when you said that you'll vis-it? 'I'll see you tomorrow…' That's wha-ut you said."

Harley glared at him. That made him grin. She then wrote a few notes on her paper that was on a clipboard.

"When were you born?" she asked.

He laughed. "I was born to a who-rre of a mother. My father aban-don-ed us. Well, that would be sensible since he slept with ma-ma for fifty bucks in one hour."

"You keep deflecting…Why's that?" Harley continued.

He knew she wanted to get inside his head, but oh, no, he wasn't going to let that happen.

_**That would be just boring.**_

"Button up, Har Har Lee…" he said; looking at down her bra intently. "Whoever was the luck man to sqeeeeeeeeeeeeze you … made you… for-get yourself… Tsk tsk tsk…"

Surprise covered Harley's face. She quickly buttoned her blouse as the flushing of her face finally faded.

She was about to speak, but found that she couldn't'.

The Joker leaned forward; his head tilting to the other side.

"Was it Taylor? Was it the Director?" he laughed. "Ah-ha! You are an ama-teur…" He clapped his hands. "Scarecrow's in a pri-sssson… so good 'ole Direc-tor wants a replacement." His grin widened. "You don't look pro...pro-fess-ion-al… You're sleeping with the boss… Ooooooooh. I love it!"

Repulsed and embarrassed, Harley stood up. The rage of a demon seemed to be conveyed through her eyes.

"I don't like your utterly useless attitude. The next time I come in – you will be in a jacket," she said; although the strength was hardly audible.

And then she stormed out.

_**That was hilarious…**_

He laughed and laughed.

He was getting to her.

_**And this is only the beginning…**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Night had fallen over Gotham, most of its citizens were in their homes in a deep slumber and some were out and about prowling the city's streets.

Batman was one of those night prowlers, but he didn't' roam the streets. He roamed the sky and its buildings.

He nimbly landed atop of the MCU building. He knew that he was taking a risk, but the private call hat he had with Jim assured him that no one would be up there tonight.

He was grateful because he was in no mood to run away from the police force.

_**And the bullets…**_

He hid himself in the Shadows and waited.

After a few minutes, he saw the frame of the commissioner. Batman was glad he would talk to his friend but the protocol was to keep up with appearances.

Jim immediately laid eyes on him, but refused to acknowledge anything. He looked at the city for a few moments as he leaned against the wall.

"ADA Edward Vincent Jones wants to meet you," he said softly.

Batman nodded to himself. He hoped that Jones would. He knew that Jones would and then became serious.

"I can handle that…" he hoarsely replied. "I'll find a secure plane."

Jim nodded. He then turned to the shadows. Something fell over him as his eyes clouded and sudden feel of curiosity.

"You visit Anne Vera."

It wasn't a question.

_**So she mentioned me…**_

He had known that Anne was growing a deep friendship between herself and Jim, and he was happy about that.

"Yes," he simply replied. He was too curious. "Should I not be?"

As Batman he would never ask anyone a question like the one he just said. But he had faith in Gordon, and he respected the Man. He would listen.

Jim sighed; turning back to looking out into the city.

"Protect her," he finally said. "She looks…" he signed again. "She puts up face of control, but I sense the vulnerability…Protect Anne."

Batman heard the love and affection in Jim's voice. He had to smile at that. _**Stole your heart… **_Of course, he would protect Anne. She meant something to him.

_**What?**_

She was something.

"Ill protect her."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

As they looked at the skyscrapers before them, Anne snuggled against Eddie's chest. She could feel his heartbeat and smile. His heartbeat was much like hers. They were two of a kind.

Eddie had his arm around her, and he held her close. He wanted to put a blanket over her, but he didn't' want to walk across the balcony to get the blanket.

"It's so beautiful…Gotham is so beautiful in the night." Anne said.

Eddie nodded. "Yes, the city is…" He looked at her than back at the city. "But you are more beautiful"

Anne laughed softly. "You are such a charmer."

"Speaking of charmer, guess who I met earlier today?" Eddie asked after giving a similar laugh.

"Who?"

"Bruce Wayne."

Anne stiffened. _**Bruce Wayne… **_She didn't understand why the mere mention of that man's name made her feel so uncomfortable; almost vulnerable.

Loosening up, Anne said, "Is that so?"

Eddie seemed not to have picked up on her stiffness. He just continued, "Surely is a looker." He laughed again. "Short chat…simple…Gave each other a mild barb and then said we would see each other at the fund-raiser."

"Oh."

That was all Anne could say. She was glad that Eddie decided not to lengthen the conversation. She wasn't sure if she could continue without any hint of awareness of what Wayne was to her.

_**What is he to me?**_

She did not understand why her hands shook after seeing him at the orphanage. And her confusion grew at the automatic reaction her body had when Eddie mentioned him.

_**What was happening?**_

She didn't know.

And she was very scared.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Harleen looked at herself in the mirror. She felt so violated. How could the Joker read her so easily? She had been a fool for not realizing that her blouse was unbuttoned. Why had she been so reckless?

_**I did get the job for having sex with the boss.**_

But she knew that it was the only way. There was much competition to who would take Dr. Jonathon Crane's place. She knew she wasn't at the top of the list despite her many credentials.

She wanted the job.

So she did what she must to get it.

She used her body.

Did she feel dirty? A little bit. But not as much as when the Joker laid eyes on the unbuttoned part of her blouse where he could easily look down and see her breasts. He violated her with his words and his mind.

"It can't happen again," she said.

_**It won't.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Being agile as he was, Batman landed on the balcony wall without a sound. He looked up, and once again found Anne sleeping outside. But this time Jones wasn't there.

He smiled at her sleeping form. The peace on her face calmed him. She was beautiful as ever.

He thought about the promise he made Gordon. He swore that he would protect Anne. And no intention of breaking that promise.

Feeling the wind pick up, Batman searched the balcony for a blanket. He spotted on sitting across from Anne to the right and swiftly went to it and picked it up.

He smiled inwardly. _**My first act as the official protector I will bar you from the cold.**_

Slowly, but surely he made his way to her. He let his eyes rest firmly on her face. He couldn't help but want to see her emerald eyes. He then carefully place the blanket over her body up to her neck.

_**Sleep well, Anne.**_

"Interesting…"

Batman's head snapped up and turned to the source of the sound. He knew that voice though. It was Jones'.

The assistant district attorney was wearing slacks and had his hands in his pockets. He was leaning against the glass door with a curious smile on his face.

"Didn't expect this to be the first time that I'd see you," he continued.

Batman remained frozen at the spot.

"Anne definitely has a lot of explaining to do."

With that, Batman made a quick exit just when Jones glanced at Anne.

_**How long are you going to be there?**_

Batman didn't know why, but he felt the inner torrent of one emotion.

_Jealousy._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Eddie looked up to find that the Batman was gone. He shook his head. For some reason, he expected the masked vigilante to do that. He had seen the masked man over Anne with a blanket.

He was very curious and just a little bit suspicious.

_**How close are you two?**_

He laughed quietly to himself; knowing that such musings should be put off for another day. He stepped out and positioned himself beside Anne as her head fell to his chest.

He closed his eyes.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**End-note**: Once again, I apologize for the lack of updating. Anyways, reviews are greatly appreciated.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Batman. I never will. I also don't own Gotham and everything else associated with that. I am relying on a lot of things besides my own imagination for this story. I rely on the movies, the novelizations, the screenplays, the comics, and so much more.

**A/N**: I apologize with all my heart. This chapter took an enormous amount of time to write. And I had certain bouts of writer's block, and school didn't help at all. But I'm back with another chapter. It's probably one of the longest if not the longest chapter in this story. Things get a little more interesting for Bruce and Anne. I hope you enjoy it, and please to review!

**Summary**: Bruce Wayne's life wasn't perfect and neither was Anne Vera's, but when they met – perfect seemed possible. Yet perfect isn't easy to have – how long will it take for someone to realize that perfect isn't really perfect? Post DK-about five months after.

**Falling Slowly – lyrics by Glen Hansard**

_I don't know you_

_But I want you_

_All the more for that_

_Words fall through me_

_And always fool me_

_And I can't react_

_And games that never amount_

_To more than they're meant _

_Will play themselves out_

_Take this sinking boat and point it home_

_We've still got time_

_Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice_

_You'll make it now_

_Falling slowly, eyes that know me_

_And I can't go back_

_Moods that take me and erase me_

_And I'm painted black_

_You have suffered enough_

_And warred with yourself_

_It's time that you won_

_Take this sinking boat and point it home _

_We've still got time_

_Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice_

_You've made it now_

_Falling slowly sing your melody_

_I'll sing along_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**"Another highly anticipated fundraiser extravaganza at our Prince of Gotham Bruce Wayne's undefined in cost penthouse for the orphanages of the city. Plenty of the who's who of whos will be there from gold medalist Nadia Roberts to writer Grisham Noel to multimillionaire David Cross. And of course, the highlight of the night will be not only the amount of money raised but of who our dashing made of billions bachelor will be seen escorting and dancing with… Stay tuned for - "**_

Bruce turned off the television. He shook his head at the show that he couldn't ever watch for more than a minute.

"Those gossip channels will keep on spewing every time you do things like this, Master Bruce."

Bruce smiled at seeing Alfred's reflection in the mirror. He continued looking at himself and preparing for the night's events.

"Ah, it all comes with a price, Alfred. You are the one that suggested that I should show the world that I have fun…What better fun than showing off my penthouse?" he replied.

Alfred snorted with a soft smile. "I thought this was about charity, sir. Charity for the orphans of Gotham."

Bruce fixed his shirt and buttoned it up while putting a soft perfume for men on his neck.

"Yes, I would never forget the plight of the orphans…" he said seriously knowing fully well that if it wasn't for Alfred he would have become one. He then laughed; tearing a part the slight melancholy and said, "You have fun as well, I know you do."

"Only because of Lucius' company mind you…Without it, I'll surely go mad, Master Bruce." Alfred retorted.

Finally done putting his bow tie on, Bruce examined himself. Satisfied, he turned to Alfred and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I would never put through things like this if you didn't want it to be," he assured.

Alfred nodded. "Indeed, and I thank you for that."

Bruce smiled. "I still can't believe that you have never given up on me."

Alfred grinned. "Never."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne really didn't want to be the center of her friends' attention, but unfortunately she was. She wasn't safe at all from their glowingly mysterious eyes and prowling hands.

She knew the danger of resisting. So she just let them their way. She would show them her own brand of controlling vengeance another day.

Everyone except her was already fit to go to the fundraiser. She, in fact, could have gotten ready all by herself, but her supposedly generous friends were adamant at them getting her ready themselves.

So, like a mannequin at the fashion designers whim, Anne sat down in front t of the office's large mirror with her friends attending to her.

_**How do I get myself in these torturous messes?**_

Her nails were being done by both Lisa and Louisa while her makeup was being applied by Christine, and her hair was being played with and molded by Sam.

She felt a warm sensation being signaled from her hair. She couldn't look at the mirror since Christine was doing her eyes at the moment.

"What are you doing Sam?" she asked.

"Just getting you all prettified." Sam replied as she started to fix Anne's hair after curling some parts of it.

"Please, it's been over an hour," she moaned.

"We're almost done!" Christine assured with a grin. "Calm down."

"I don't understand why I let you guys do this to me." Anne groaned. "For the love of God, hero."

"Take a chill pill, Anne." Lisa said with a laugh. "Once we are through you'll surely look like a goddess."

_**I don't want to be a goddess. **_Anne's luck was just great. She didn't know how long this would take, but she'd rather experience those crappy places. But she doesn't know that. So she just sat down and watched her friends. She inhaled. It was indeed going to be a long night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Casey looked at her husband with a smile on her face.

Eddie was going to Bruce Wayne's fund-raiser for Gotham's orphanages. He had invited her to come with him, but she declined because the kids were going to come home later in the night.

His job was called for him to go to fund-raisers. He didn't have to go to all of them, because he wasn't the DA, but most of the fundraisers hosts invited Eddie personally.

He was quite a popular guy for a man who happened to be a lawyer for the government.

"Why are you staring at me?" Eddie asked which a sudden thing to Casey's ears was.

She grinned, and looked at him up and down appreciatively. Eddie did look so handsome in his suit.

"You can't blame a wife for admiring her husband's…" she said loosely.

Eddie shook his head, and grinned back.

"My what?" he asked. He didn't feel scared today. Mother-in-law dearest was out. He titled his head for a moment and then spoke again, "My ass? My well hung endowment?"

Casey laughed as Eddie made his way over to her. He gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek as he wrapped his arms around her.

She put her arms around his neck with a giggle.

"And so what if I was? Got a problem with that?" she asked.

Eddie brushed his lips on her cheek and eyes.

Casey sighed as he started kissing her cheek with growing intensity. She felt his hands go under her shirt as they moved up and down her skin.

Her eyes caught the clock.

"You should be going," she said despite the pleasure she was currently feeling thanks to her husband's magical touch.

Eddie didn't answer, but pushed her so that she fell on the bed. He started to unbutton his shirt as his eyes looked on his beautiful wife with much desire.

Casey felt the desire as the heat passed between them. She smiled. _**Oh what the hell! **_She grabbed his tie and pulled on it.

The joined together in harmony and as one.

The thought of being late never occurred.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Another fundraiser?" Barbara asked her husband as he put on his dress coat and started to put on his tie.

Jim didn't answer. He just nodded and adjusted his tie.

Barbara didn't know what number this particular fundraiser was, but she did know that Jim went whether willingly or not to them.

She'd had gone with him for some of them, but that was when the children could be looked after.

Tonight wasn't that night. She would have to stay at home.

She couldn't help but feel so saddened over the fact that Jim was going alone. She became even sadder after realizing that for the past week Jim hasn't been intimate with whether in words or in a physical way.

It was like Jim was pulling himself away from her – maybe the whole family. It seemed like the job was consuming him.

"I'm leaving. Give the children a kiss for me." Jim said.

Barbara nodded. She walked over to him and gave her husband a kiss.

But he didn't kiss back.

Disappointed and hurt, but not wanting to show it she smiled.

"I will," she replied. She looked at him deep in the eyes. "I love you."

Jim didn't answer at first. He paused and then kissed Barbara a kiss on the cheek, and then left.

Barbara felt the tears threaten her eyes because he didn't tell her that he loved her. No, he just left.

A terrible fear rushed through her. It was like a premonition of what was going to come had snapped its fingers and revealed itself to her.

She was losing him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

For the first time, Bruce wasn't going to make a grand entrance. Instead, he chose the simple road of speaking with the hired help as guest came inside. He would just smile and then go about his business for chatting would be later.

Alfred didn't disagree with his charge's choice. He, in fact, approved of it. That choice made his Master Wayne look more personable. This fundraiser was for orphans – and he knew very well that if it wasn't for him gaining custody the young man he loved so much has a son would surely be an orphan.

He watched many come in to support the orphanages and to help their image. He could tell the difference between those two kinds of people. Examples of the egos were definitely the DA Peter Sullivan, the actor Brandon Tomage, and the unsavory millionaire Sidney Cornwall. And of the truly concerned citizens were the likes of him, Master Wayne, Lucius, the ADA Jones, and of course, Anne.

She had decided to wear a long chic black dress that looked Latin made. She had her hair curled, and he detected no sign of make up. And her eyes were bright as emeralds. She was indeed beautiful.

His eyes had glanced at Bruce, and it was evident that the young man thought that as well. Alfred knew him well enough and could see the light come back into Bruce's eyes as a secretive smile placed it on his lips.

Alfred was hopeful. Master Bruce had almost lost his faith. He had almost fallen a part. But now, he was smiling – actually smiling. It wasn't the smile that Batman used. It surely wasn't the smile that playboy Wayne used. No, it was the man in between – it was Bruce that was smiling.

Alfred wanted Mastery Wayne to be happy. He knew that it was unlikely that Bruce would be ready to give up the mantle of the Batman. But he refused to have him give up on being happy on both sides of his life.

And it was clear that Bruce's spirits was being raised by this Anne Vera.

Indeed he was hopeful.

_**Maybe she'll be his hope.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne walked up to Jim while he was talking to Mayor Garcia. She tugged at the older man's coat impatiently, and said with a welcoming smile, "Come with me."

Jim turned to her with a bright smile. He looked at her and basked in her beauty. Her green eyes seemed to more pronounced thanks to her elegant dark dress, and good curls. He nodded at the mayor, and allowed Anne to lead him to the dance floor.

"What were you two talking about?" Anne asked.

Jim shrugged. "The usual…keeping this city safe and all." His eyes were a little mischievous as if he knew something that she did not.

Looking into his blue eyes, Anne felt suspicious. She squeezed his shoulder.

"What?"

"He likes you."

Those three words confused her more than anything. Who was he? Why would anyone like her? Would it be someone she didn't like? For some reason, Wayne came to her mind, but she quickly dismissed that thought as Jim laughed.

"The Mayor. He likes you. You must remember that he's not married."

Anne gave a little smile. "I don't do politicians, Jim."

"I wasn't going to set you two up…I'm just letting you that you have an admirer." Jim said; smiling.

He stroked her face as he smiled wider.

"You look beautiful," he said.

Anne blushed slightly, and swatted his hand. "Thank you."

For some odd reason, the two sensed something amiss in each other as they kept on dancing to slow music that was playing with others on the dance floor with them. This odd feeling that came to them from the other caused great concern and suspicion. They wondered what was wrong with the other

"This fundraiser is getting to you already isn't it?" Jim asked although he didn't need an answer, because Anne's reaction to his question was an answer all itself.

This night was for orphans. This night was for people who lost their parents, or their parents have given them up. He knew that only two people in the world knew Anne was adopted: him and district attorney Jones. He knew that Anne longed to know who her real parents were. And most of all he knew she was searching for a father.

He was the closest thing to a father figure to her. But he knew that he wouldn't suffice. He would just take the name of maybe an uncle, but never a father. He had a feeling that it was right for him not to be her father; that maybe she will find him. But Anne had never mentioned trying to search for her parents. He could only watch, and give all the support he could.

Jim wasn't blind to her longing for her biological parents. He had sensed this void in her. He recognized the void, because he had seen it before. He had seen it on a young boy's face. If there was one thing Anne and Bruce Wayne had in common it was that they lost their parents.

So he decided to not saying, but hold on to her hand a little tighter as he mentally spoke to her his comfort, and his love.

For Anne, Jim's eyes seemed a little lost. It was as if they were replaying some moment in time that he couldn't forget, or maybe just didn't want to. And there was doubt there too. It scared her to see doubt in his eyes. Something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Jim didn't answer. His eyes were glazed with another thing that scared Anne. Fear.

"Jim…"

He closed his eyes. "I fear that I'm straying."

Anne didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

Jim opened his eyes and there was pain in them. Anne's fears rose even higher.

"I haven't been thinking about my wife lately. I haven't…I…my thoughts aren't on her anymore…" he whispered regretfully.

Anne's eyes widened. Could this mean what she thought it meant?

"Are you saying that there's someone else?" she asked, careful not to sound to worried.

Jim pursed his lips before replying, "I don't know." He averted his eyes away from Anne's. "I just can't get that woman out of my head."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The dance ended too quickly for Anne. She watched Jim move to the free bar and grab a drink. She knew that they would have to finish the conversation sometime. But it wasn't now.

As she walked to her table, the thoughts of all the pain that would go on if Jim was really to the point of leaving Barbara. She couldn't bear to see anything happen to the Gordon family. They looked so perfect together. She couldn't imagine them splitting a part.

"Well, not that you are all here. I might as well give you all the news…" Sam said as Anne sat down while crossing her arms.

"Yes…" Christine said.

Sam's smiled widen and an utter joy eclipsed her eyes.

"I'm pregnant."

Anne and the others grinned. They each gave Sam their congratulations, and they drank their glasses.

"Who's the father?" Lisa asked.

Anne nearly choked on her drink, but luckily she didn't die or spill any on her dress. She looked at Sam who just rolled her eyes as Louisa struggled not to laugh.

"Her husband." Christine said, controlling her temper.

Lisa laughed. "I knew that…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jim Gordon had just finished speaking the man that found him at the free bar: ADA Craig Creamer. His eye then caught the other ADA Edward Vincent Jones was making his way over to him after he had spoken with DA Peter Sullivan.

With a smile, he shook the man's hand, and said, "Mr. Jones…what did our DA by default want?"

It was no secret that DA Peter Sullivan became the DA after Harvey Dent died. Sullivan wasn't someone that could be corrupted, but he wasn't someone that would take the job and use it to its full potential. He was a man who would be a standstill.

Gotham needed action and initiative, and they weren't going to get it with Sullivan.

Eddie grinned; giving a pausing glance at the said DA. "Nothing in particular – he wanted me to take greater action against Batman, and that when the time came that he'll run and he expects my support."

"And would you?" Jim asked.

"Endorsement or prosecution?"

"Both."

"I'm sure. I don't have to repeat myself…" Eddie started. He shrugged. "That friend of yours. I see no wrong in him…supporting him…" He nodded at the DA. "As for him…not likely."

Jim smiled appreciatively to his answers. "Do you think you're going to run?"

Eddie shrugged. "I'm not politician."

"Anyone is better than Sullivan."

"Too true."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce always made sure that he could always see Anne. She was still sitting at her table talking to her friends. The song that he instructed the band to perform had yet to begin its instrumental beginning that would be his cue to go to Anne, and ask for a dance.

His eye spotted the man that had been spending a lot of his time with Anne which made it a little difficult for him to visit her as Batman. And to top it all off, Edward Vincent Jones had caught him in the act – of caring for Anne.

_**I should have been more aware.**_

He liked his private time with Anne. He could always count on her presence softening his hear, and enabling him to see the light in the darkness. But the privacy had been effectively interrupted thanks to Jones.

From his eyes, Anne and Eddie were close. He knew that they were friends. But he couldn't help, but wonder at times. The wonder increased last night when he saw Jones sleep next to Anne very closely.

It was all just a little suspicious and curious.

His eye saw Jones and Gordon having a conversation. He moved to them; drink in hand, and clapped Jones shoulder. He smiled at the ADA and the commissioner.

"Gotham's finest…I'm glad that you both are here," he said genuinely.

He noticed Jim and Jones glance at each other, and then looked at him. Gordon nodded and Jones smiled.

"Mr. Wayne." Gordon greeted.

Bruce made it a point to not smile wider despite the fact that it was indeed true that he was happy that Jim could make it.

"Bruce Wayne…" Eddie repeated with a mysterious smile of his own.

"Forgive my curiosity, but how is that investigation going for the Batman?" Bruce directed the question to both men; intending to get informative reactions out of them. "I told many that Batman was a nut. Unfortunately, it took six men's murders to have everyone realize it."

Gordon momentarily looked down, and when he refocused Bruce saw the hidden pain and little guilt in the older man's eyes at having to hunt Batman down. Jones' eyes on the other hand showed a type of inner fire that suggested anger towards his question and following statement.

Before the two could give him an answer the cue came. His ears perked to the sound, and his heart began to race until he steadied it. He looked at Jim and Jones. Nodding to them, he excused himself and made his way to Anne's table.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sam smile secretively to herself, but Christine caught it. She looked ahead, above Anne's head and found Bruce Wayne making his way over to their table.

"Trouble ahead, Anne." Louisa said as Lisa grinned.

"Be nice," said Sam.

Anne rolled her eyes. She didn't turn to acknowledge the man until she heard him clear his throat.

She turned; putting a face of slight surprise to see Bruce standing in front of her. She noticed that the suit he was wearing wasn't Armani – no, the clothing looked more traditional kind of James Bond like.

He pulled it off well.

He looked handsome.

"May I have this dance?" Wayne asked with his winning smile.

Anne resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, but not because of Wayne's smile, but because of Lisa's sharp intake of breath.

_**Hating Wayne, but lusting after him. Gees Lisa.**_

Returning her focus to Wayne and his invitation, she shook her head.

"I don't think that I'm the perfect dance partner," she answered.

Despite her choice to be friendly with him, she wasn't comfortable enough to dance with him.

Bruce was unfazed. His winning smile became even more charming. His eyes seemed to become browner which for some reason looked a little familiar to Anne.

And when he spoke his voice was filled with confidence, and friendliness.

"Nobody's perfect. Perfect is just an illusion," he replied.

Anne nodded at the words, but she immediately countered saying, "True, but perfect also happens to be a standard; the number one goal. We all work for perfection. We all look for perfect."

Bruce's eyes flashed. He also nodded as his mile lost its winning part as if prepared to fight to get it back.

"Believe me. Perfect is an ideal; a concept – nothing more," he retorted but without an edge.

Curious, Anne asked or concurred with hidden skepticism, "So you don't believe in perfect."

Bruce laughed, but his smile was gone. Instead, certain seriousness comes to his demeanor.

"Perfect is something to be learned and to be found. Perfect depends on a person's own definition," he said. The music started to play again but this time with a different song; a song he seemed to recognize. "Now stop stalling… Is it a yes or no? Because if it's a no, then I need to go find another dance partner."

A little thrown by the tone in Wayne's voice, but also confused by the way his hazel eyes captured her, Anne said – albeit a little slowly -, "Yes."

Bruce grinned and extended his hand.

_**What am I getting into?**_

Anne glanced at her friends, and with a little hesitation took Wayne's hand.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Holding Bruce Wayne's hand was not exactly unnerving, but very confusing to Anne. Here she was holding a man she once ignorantly hated hand and having his other hand at her side.

She somehow felt insecure and slightly uncomfortable by the predicament she was in. This was not like dancing with Jim or Eddie. Those dances were familiar.

But the one she was having with made her feel plain terrified.

_**I'm terrified. **_

Why?

"I'm glad you came." Wayne said after a few moments of silence.

Holding Anne Vera's hand was so strange to him. It was so different from holding her hand as Batman. This was him, not the playboy, but as him – the real Bruce. He wasn't sure if she knew that, but he did. The feel of her skin on his was electric. He surprised himself by liking the feel of giving warmth to her interestingly cold hand.

He felt a little unsure, but also a little excited. The thought of feeling guilty since it had been only a few months since Rachel died had occurred to him. But he was tired of grieving. He did think at first that he would be alone forever.

**And then you came.**

Anne was someone; someone worth talking to. Someone he actually took a liking to. She was someone he couldn't help, but feel something for.

She still hadn't answered him. He gave her a look and saw that her eyes were looking everywhere, but him.

"You look uncomfortable," he notified.

Anne steadied herself as they kept on dancing.

"No," she insisted, but her voice was low. "I assure you I'm not."

Not quite believing her, Bruce asked with an assuring smile, "Then what is it?"

Anne opened her mouth; an answer was in her mind, but then it vanished. The quickness she had before suddenly disappeared. She could no longer produce a witty remark.

"I don't know," she resorted to say.

And she didn't. She couldn't help but feel _**stupid.**_

"Well, if you don't want to dance. I won't mind. No insult taken." Bruce said as he took his hand off Anne's side.

Anne shook her head. She didn't want to ward him off with her stupid nervousness.

"No, I'm here already," she said; hesitation was gone, but the slight uncomfortable-ness stayed.

Bruce put his hand back to her side with caution.

"You have a right to choose," he replied, but inside he wanted to dance ye he knew it was her choice. He wanted her to want to be with – **near **– him.

The way Wayne said his reply almost made Anne shiver, but instead she shifted a little and then looked him in the eye.

"I choose…" she started, but she stopped because she noticed the way Wayne's hazel eyes seemed to change. "I choose to dance," she continued after recovering from her curiosity at the quick distinct change in the other's eyes.

She had wanted to speak about her regret but she didn't know how. So she just summoned whatever courage she could summon and spoke.

"I've been incredibly hypocritical lately – particularly when concerning you," she admitted apologetically.

Bruce didn't' respond. His fascination with her eyes still ruled. **So green…So different…every time I see you… **He did hear her apology, but he couldn't answer. Her eyes seemed to stop in from responding.

Taking in his silence as him wanting more from her apology, Anne realized that her words may cause more damage then she anticipated. _**Was I that callous? **_

She couldn't read the look in his eyes. She, like Sam, was fairly skilled at reading other people's eyes except for each other, and for Jim and Batman. But now Bruce Wayne joined the group of the unreadable.

It was quite funny and annoying at the same time. She did pride herself on the ability to see what others couldn't. But there were now four people she couldn't read: Jim, Sam, Batman, and Wayne. _**Plain frustrating…**_ Why? Because it wasn't just the fear of loving a man that was an unfortunate leftover from _him_, but there was also the need to know what people may be thinking and being able to hide everything from those people.

But with the group of four which now included Wayne – they were not just unreadable. No, they seemed to be able to read her; for she prided herself on the art of concealment.

"I was rude," she continued. "I'm never rude – heh, okay, I've been rude before…I mean – well, only if it was deserved…" She paused. "And you didn't deserve any of it."

Softening at the guilty tone, Bruce smiled once again in assurance. Thinking about his own behavior he said, "It was warranted."

"No. You didn't deserve my contempt. You didn't deserve my opinionated judgment." Anne insisted; this time brave enough to look at Wayne squarely in the eye, and somewhat not understanding why Wayne was blocking her from her apology. "I was – _horrible_ to you. It's me – the hypocrite."

Bruce shook his head. Why was she taking all of this too hard? But then again… "I doubt that."

Successfully rolling her eyes without feeling like an annoying bitch, Anne said, "No need for a sense of denial. I was a hypocrite."

She suddenly felt ashamed.

"I never liked you."

Bruce refrained from raising an eyebrow. Her eyes seemed dim. "Is that so?"

That was all he could ask. He had a feeling that if he stopped Anne from pouring out her regret that it would be a huge mistake on his part, and that it would make him feel regretful as well.

"I constantly ridiculed you to almost anyone – everyone – especially to my girlfriends." Anne confessed. "I'm so sorry."

The guilt of being something she didn't want to be filled her and once again she looked away.

Sensing that the guilt should be defused immediately, Bruce replied quickly but with no edge in his voice, "Don't be." He had an urge to touch her face, but he pushed that urge away. "I don't necessarily give off welcome good vibes."

_Simplicity is definitely a part of you. _"Neither do I." Anne said softly almost in whisper type of tone. _You can't keep hiding yourself Anne. You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you._

Bruce was silently alarmed by the sadness and the underlying defeat in Anne's voice. It sounded as if she was lost. He wanted to reach out, but he couldn't say it out right. **I have to be slow about this.**

"I never got a bad vibe from you," he finally said.

Anne swerved her head and faced him again. She was about to say something as if believing he was lying for her sake, but then she looked into his eyes and found nothing. His voice sounded genuine despite her instant hypocritical misgivings. Yet she still doubted his statement.

"Really? If I remember correctly, it was you that said: _simplicity is definitely a part of _– me." Anne countered; finally getting back some of the fire that she was used to being inside of her.

Bruce almost forgot about that – almost. It had been a hostile conversation; one that he could never forget. It was also one that replayed over and over again in his mind.

"Oh – that. Yes…"

Realizing Wayne may have had a tiny lapse of memory loss, Anne smiled slightly.

"Yes, that."

Glad at finally seeing a smile on Anne's face, Bruce retorted with good humor, but nevertheless was sincere, "Well, then I apologize. Your words instigated my own."

_Sadly, when you had to mature when your parents died…You were the only one left. I know what that's like, but you changed again. You matured and then retarded back to a child – a spoiled one; an ignorant one – a child that people admire and say he looks so handsome, but when thought hard about – just another man living life to the "fullest" but only winding up face down – alone._

She again looked away at hearing her own words towards him from that fateful night. "I know." _**God, I was cruel.**_

"All's forgiven then?" Bruce asked; determined that between the two of them there would be no more foul feelings for misunderstandings. **Please say that it is.** He was ready for it. He hoped Anne was too.

_**Forgiveness? **_That was what it was all about wasn't it? Following a choice was a priority, and she was on her way to succeeding. But she still felt unsure.

She slowly looked at him in the eyes, but didn't feel the fire once again. She felt a little weak. She felt like she was going to start shaking.

"I hope so."

Those three words and the way they came out of Anne's lips, and the way her green orbs seemed to dull tugged Bruce's heart. He smiled gently, kindly, and with much welcome to her.

He made his grip on her hand a little tighter, but not to sharply that he would hurt her. He did it to assure her.

"Then we start over," he suggested with more than hope in his heart.

That sounded so good to Anne. She nodded, and gave him a stronger smile.

Satisfied, Bruce nodded as he too smiled stronger. "I'm Bruce Wayne."

It was then Anne noticed the way Bruce was holding her hand. No longer was his grip loose; detached. It was now a little tighter, but not tight enough to hurt. It was more of a strong pull to take her out of her guilt.

It alarmed her.

She couldn't help, but feel shy. Yet she answered just as politely, "I'm Anne Vera."

"Hello, Anne."

"Mr. Wayne."

Bruce shook his head with a slight chuckle.

"Bruce," he insisted.

He didn't want her to be formal. He wanted her friendship.** I want… **He didn't know if he could full comprehend the end of that thought.

Once again, Anne felt hesitant. She knew what it meant to say someone's preferred name. It meant going near familiarity; going to the personal. Was it wise? Was it what she wanted?

_**Choice.**_

"Bruce…" she finally said; adjusting herself.

Bruce grinned. Her voice saying his name was – well, he didn't know what it was. He just knew that he liked the way she said his name.

He was going to say something, but noticed the look on her face. She clearly wasn't on the topic of them, but something else.

"What is it?" he asked; curious.

"People – everyone is watching us…intently…" Anne replied. She didn't like it one bit. _**Too intently…**_

She felt eyes following her as she went to dance with Bruce, but now just about everyone including the others on the dance floor were watching them. They were all watching as if this was the biggest sort of show they had ever seen.

It was annoying.

Bruce's keen eyes saw what she saw, but remained its attention on his dance partner.

"Don't worry about them," he advised. "Giving them attention will just put fuel to the fire."

Anne raised an eyebrow momentarily. "Ignoring them is hard to do when their eyes widen each time we spin around the floor. I can just see wheel's turning."

Sighing, Bruce said, "They're wondering if you are going to be my next…" He couldn't finish the sentence. It felt wrong.

Anne was sharp enough to sense the ending of the sentence. She looked at him closely with interest.

"Conquest," she finished.

And there they were. This was one of the reasons why Bruce was so enamored with her emerald spheres for eyes.

They had become so sharp. It was piercing, and slightly unnerving. Indeed her eyes were powerful. He knew that her eyes could manipulate, prod, and hold anyone. And for some reason, he could tell that Anne sometimes didn't know how powerful her ever changing and multi emotional emerald eyes were.

"Yes," he agreed; letting his eyes momentarily look on the onlookers discreetly. He then spotted a specific pair. He grinned. "But if you notice the two old men - one with the champagne and the other with the silver hair – to our left…I promise you....They are probably thinking if you will be my potential partner."

_**Partner? **_Anne's eyes widened. "Wife?" she asked as an unwilling, but welcoming grin formed on her lips. _**That's not desperate.**_

Bruce laughed at the look on her face. It made her look more human and less _regal_. **Regal? **Yes, she did have a form that shouted regality. He just didn't know why.

"The one with the champagne in particular is trying to make – trying to find a match," he explained. He laughed again. "I guess my 'playboy' ways irritate him to no end."

Anne laughed as well. But the question was there. Why hadn't Bruce gotten into a relationship? Why wasn't he married? _**But the playboy persona…**_ That may have been a factor. It could have warded all women. But despite that she knew women. She knew that most women thought of Bruce as probably one of the most attractive men in the world.

Did she think of him as attractive?

By the way he grinned; the answer had to be a yes.

"Why haven't you?" she asked.

Bruce's face darkened and then paled. Anne realized her mistake then. _**Rachel.**_ Of course, it made sense. She didn't know a lot about the woman or for that matter – that much about Bruce, but she was a person who knew how to read between the lines. And what she saw was a connection – that could have led to a relationship. But then again she could be wrong. Could she? It was none of her business anyway. What did she care?

Did she?

Bruce almost faltered at the question. Rachel's face suddenly emerged in his mind. But then she disappeared and all he saw was Anne. The feelings of grief had come as usual to claim him when he remembered Rachel's face. But Anne's steadied him, and that gave him hope.

He thought carefully about the question Anne gave him. Yes he did have a plan to settle down. After Gotham was free, or when it had someone like Harvey Dent came to town, he had been prepared to give up Batman. He wanted to be with Rachel. He wanted to live the rest of his life with her. But then she died, and he felt so alone. He grieved and grieved until – until **Anne. **It was Anne that proved to him that despite heartbreak life can still flourish.

There's hope left in the world.

So when he answered he knew that it was the correct answer. "Haven't found it yet," he simply said.

It seemed like a vague answer for Anne. It was an open-ended answer to an open-ended question. She wanted him to confirm her suspicions or to destroy them, but she knew she wouldn't receive anything. She could ask something else, but she wouldn't.

Instead, there was silence.

"How much do you know about me?" Bruce asked. He saw something in her eyes, but he couldn't read it. He just had a gut feeling.

Anne shrugged slightly. "I only know what you let people know." That was the truth, because she knew a person never gives anything away unless it's to a person that that person loves. _**Nothing is as it appears.**_

Wanting to get closer to Anne, and hoping that she wouldn't scoff at him for trying to be trustworthy and friendly, Bruce asked, "Do you know about Rachel?"

"Yes." Anne slowly answered. She didn't know where this part of their conversation would go. "Your childhood friend, right?"

Bruce nodded. "Yes, she was." He smiled a confident smile, but he couldn't keep it for that in itself would be a lie. "I was…"

"Going to have a future with her." Anne finished once again; quite concerned about Bruce's feelings over the late Rachel Dawes, and also hoping that she hadn't and wouldn't bring horrible memories back in the man's head.

"I had hoped to." Bruce corrected. He didn't dare mention the fact that he was Batman and that Rachel had been waiting for him to leave that mask behind.

Anne squeezed Bruce's hand.

"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically.

Relishing in her sympathy, but also not wanting to be pitied, Bruce replied, "Don't be. I'm fine by myself."

Eddie's words echoed again in her mind. _You can't keep hiding yourself Anne. You better hurry. Or else those walls of yours will suffocate you._ Anne's heart started to slow. She didn't feel right anymore. She knew that she was going to start shaking. But she was determined not to.

"Don't say that," she replied a little roughly as an urge to cry out came to her mind. _**No!**_ She wouldn't. She couldn't let that happen. She would not be overwhelmed.

Bruce was alarmed by Anne's change of posture. No longer did she look confident and regal. She now looked empty. Her eyes were pale and they lost its shine and the sharpness dulled. It was like she was pulling away from both him and the world. She was shutting down; freezing herself in.

He had never seen Anne do that before. And if he wasn't watching he would have missed the change. The change was so rapid; it was like a phenomenon. But yet it looked so familiar to him as if he had seen this before – as if he had done this before. And it also looked strangely familiar on Anne. As if she had seen this before – as if she had done this before.

And that made him worry more.

The music stopped. They separated. Anne was glad with that, but Bruce wasn't. They both along with everyone else clapped.

"People can live alone." Bruce said; trying to bring out that fiery spirit he knew Anne had.

_**No, they can't. **_There was only pain. Anne shook her head.

"Being alone isn't that great."

Bruce's heart broke at the pure ghost like quality in Anne's voice. He didn't know what to say.

There was nothing to say.

**Except…** "Thank you."

Anne felt nothing. She just nodded. "You're welcome."

She turned away and walked back to her table. She had enough of the night. She wanted to go home. She needed to escape.

All Bruce could do was watch helplessly as she walked away. She had just revealed something important. He had just found out that she wasn't what she seemed.

She was just like him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lucius watched Anne walk away from Bruce once the music stopped that particular song to that particular dance. He had noticed some particularly interesting things about that dance. Bruce had almost seemed shy maybe even a little hesitant before he asked her to dance. The billionaire had always been confident during these types of events. It clearly met something.

His mind flashed to when he saw Bruce have a few men hang up a certain painting.

_"Interesting piece of work, Master Wayne," he said after it had been hung up._

_Bruce smiles, but his eyes remain on the painting. _

_"Yes, it certainly is…" the once young man replied. _

And now he was certain that there was a new light in Bruce's eye.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Alfred watched Master Bruce face throughout the dance. He knew the man better than anyone and saw what he had wished to see on his charge's face for quite sometime. He saw hope beyond reckoning.

His mind flashed to when he burned the letter Rachel had written Bruce. He knew that Bruce would break down if he wanted it to. So he had to do what he did. It was the only way.

And he saw hope in Anne.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Immediately concerned to see the way Anne walked away from Bruce Wayne, Eddie at first wanted to ask his best friend for a dance.

But he held himself and waited for a better moment.

_**And this is it.**_

The music picked up again after everyone feasted on the high class, easily seen as expensive and remarkable tasty dinner that was served free courtesy of the man who held the fundraiser: Bruce Wayne.

He gave himself and Anne a minute. So that their stomachs can rest for a moment.

After this, he took her hand, and practically pulled her on the dance floor.

"Eddie! I was talking to someone!" Anne complained although a grin up welcoming was on her face.

Eddie just smiled, and his eyes noticed that people – not all, but some of the guests were watching.

He pulled Anne closer to him and replied, "Too late. We're dancing."

Anne rolled her eyes, and then squeezed Eddie's hand tightly.

_**Something's wrong.**_

He could tell by the way Anne's skin felt. There was no warmth; just a cool touch. And her once intensely bright or drastically dull emerald eyes were empty.

He's seen this before. His mind searched through the possible causes. And only one struck.

_**Her dance with Wayne.**_

"Tense dance with our prince," he said; almost casually. He looked deep at Anne's face. "What happened?"

Anne blinked and looked at Eddie in the eyes.

"Nothing," she replied. Her eyes glazed with something Eddie couldn't understand. "Nothing important anyway."

"It looked important." Eddie persisted. He knew something was up and he wouldn't let go until he got an answer. "For my eyes it looked like it meant something."

Anne didn't answer, but she overtook her eyes from his.

Many different answers came into his head, but he needed hers.

So he asked, "What did he say." She gave him nothing. Then it came – a question she could attack on. "What did you say?"

Anne's head snapped back to Eddie. Her green orbs finally regaining some of its luster.

She looked defiant, but he could clearly see the cracks.

And he could hear it too.

"Nothing," she replied.

She was begging him to end his not so subtle interrogation.

Eddie smiled, and conveyed through his eyes that he wouldn't let the subject go. He would just momentarily put it aside.

"Seems Mother Dearest is staying a bit longer than expected." Eddie mentioned.

Anne laughed slightly; obviously appreciating the change of subject.

Eddie smiled, and conveyed through his eyes that he wouldn't let the subject go. He would just momentarily put it aside.

"Seems mother dearest is staying a bit longer than expected," he mentioned.

Anne laughed slightly; obviously appreciating the change of subject.

"I still can't believe you are afraid of your in law," she said. "And to top it all off you run to my place for about a week to hide from her."

Eddie shrugged. "It's true. You never protested albeit some incoherent grumbling about the situation," he pointed out.

"I want to hear you say that you were and still are afraid." Anne replied with a slight grin.

"Why should?" Eddie asked; readying himself to refuse the request which sounded more like a demand.

Anne raised an eyebrow, and put her hand on the back of his neck, and stroked evilly.

"If you don't – you will have no place to stay," she threatened with her sweetest voice.

Eddie tried to shake off her method of persuasion, but he couldn't. He finally nodded.

"It was a shocking arrival that would only speak of pain and humiliation thus concerning this surprise visit – I, of which deftly obtaining permission from both my wife, children, and dog, made a hasty retreat using the excuse of some very important business that would make me stay longer than usual in my office, and/or in some cases meetings that would take a reasonable amount of hours to finish. So I swiftly departed to reach over to your place for a considerable length of refuge under your expected to be greatly generous and kind hand and watchful eyes, and was rightly received despite a few subtle complaints and friendly teasing of which I took without any argument for I was grateful to be in a safe haven away from the dreaded figure of one called mother-in-law."

He took a deep breath and nodded. He was done.

Anne didn't know whether to laugh or to be very afraid at the obviously long, confusing, and quick answer to her request that she gave him.

She just stared at him blankly.

"Paraphrase," she suggested.

Eddie shrugged once again. "Uh, sure…Basically I'm saying that I am and probably will always be afraid of my mother in law."

Anne looked at him closely. "Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?"

They looked at each other.

And then they laughed.

"Well, I'm staying over again tonight. I'll be there after I say goodnight to my family." Eddie finally said after their laughter.

Anne rolled her eyes playfully. "Again? I guess…" She squeezed his shoulder. "You need to bring extra clothes then if you are going to make this a habit."

Eddie smiled. "I'll do that."

"The things I do for my friends." Anne said; sarcasm dripping.

Eddie chuckled with feign surprise. "Pardon?"

Anne's emerald eyes shined.

"Nothing."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"They are so cute together!" Lisa exclaimed; eyes wide as saucers as she watched Anne and Eddie dance.

Christine rolled her eyes and gave an informative glance at Louisa. Louisa nodded and in turn slapped Lisa on the back of her head.

"Ouch!" she cried as she rubbed her head.

Sam laughed and patted Lisa's shoulder. She then gave Louisa and Christine a look of slight approval.

"What?" Lisa said after receiving questions and humor in her friends' eyes. "They are… I don't know who she looks better with…"

"As in him and Wayne?" Christine asked; pointing discreetly at the men as she said their names.

Lisa nodded enthusiastically. "Yupity yup."

"He's married, Lisa!" Louisa reprimanded; shaking her head at what Lisa was thinking.

"So?" Lisa said as she looked at her friends.

"That means something."

Everyone locked their eyes on Sam. She had been quiet for most of the conversation except for that one laugh. Usually, it's Sam who keeps a silent face, and when she speaks people tend to listen.

"Sam?" Louisa asked; not understanding.

Sam just shrugged; nonchalant as she took a sip of her water.

"Like I said before. Eddie is a lot like Anne," she clarified.

Knowing now where she was going, Christine added, "So that begs the question…"

Sam nodded. "It's easy to see how much in common they have with one another."

"Best friends." Louisa pointed out.

Lisa knew they all were on the same page now. "Longer than any of us."

They all looked at each other, and then finally at Anne and Eddie.

Sam smiled slightly. "Why not?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce couldn't help, but feel the rise of some sort of burning feeling inside the pit of his stomach. It was like that feeling when rage comes over him, but the difference was that he didn't feel something burning him inside out. No, he felt a burning flame that didn't become smaller or bigger. It was a burning flame that stayed. It gave that occasional lick, but that stingy lick brought more pain then any boiling anger.

This feeling wasn't new. It only came because of someone else once before.

It was jealousy. And the last time he felt jealous it was seeing Rachel with any man especially the late Harvey Dent?

Why was he feeling jealous? How could he? Anne was her own woman. And besides he made no move toward Anne to warrant this feeling. He hadn't been upset when as Batman he saw them together – okay, only once he did.

_**And yet…**_

He knew he made a connection with her as Batman. He had become her protector. It was only for her that he lingered.

But jealousy?

He wanted to make amends. He wanted to prove to her that he wasn't a playboy. He wanted friendship.

_**I want…**_

Did he want more? Was that why he felt that flame; that surge of jealousy? Was that why he felt this urge to storm to the dance floor and interrupt that dance?

He quickly grabbed a glass of champagne from a waiter and downed the drink.

_**I…**_

He wanted to be the one dancing with her.

Could it be that he wanted Anne? Could it be that it wasn't just friendship that he was searching for?

The music stopped. People clapped. His eyes were glued onto Anne and Eddie. They break a part; both smiling. Anne kisses Jones on the cheek. Jones bows and kisses her hand. They return to their tables.

His heart lurches.

He closes his eyes momentarily, and in doing so he saw only Anne, and her emerald eyes.

He opened his eyes, and looked at Anne's table.

Ever since Rachel died, he felt that there was no future. That was worse than feeling alone. And for some extraordinary reason, he knew that somehow Anne made him more free and together than before.

He knew that he needed companionship. He knew that he didn't want to be alone.

He didn't know what he felt for Anne exactly.

But he did know that Anne was the symbol of something great.

_**Hope.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The fundraiser had ended and Anne felt mentally exhausted. The night had been an interesting one to say the least for her. Her very close friend, and confidant Jim just told her that his thoughts had seem to be straying from his wife. She was careful not to judge him, but being supportive was hard when she liked Barbara. And what of the kids? She needed a much longer talk with Jim.

Despite the news, she did feel a little better when she found out about Sam's pregnancy. Sam and her husband had been trying for many years now. She was really happy for them. They would make really wonderful parents.

But then Wayne – Bruce came over to their table to ask her to dance. _Why did I have to say yes? _She knew why. _Because I don't want to be less than what I can really be. _Decisions had to be made and choices were taken. She had forgiven him and he had forgiven her. But then the conversation strayed and she couldn't help but feel suddenly drained; empty of what was in her. She felt numb; terrifyingly numb. And what made it worse was the look Bruce kept giving her. It was far too unnerving.

She thought that she'd feel more relaxed after getting away from the man and back to the comfort of her girlfriends, but no, she found none. It was like nothing was inside of her.

And Eddie – he made her feel nothing even more. The dance – he started the dance to get information out of her. She wasn't sure – no, she knew that she could hardly stone her features from his knowing eyes. But luckily she was able to convince him to hold off his curiosity using his mother in law against him.

A sharp hiss came to her ears. She shrugged it off. She knew that she would have accepted a ride from Jim, or the girls. But she knew she couldn't. She would feel like – nothing again. She would take the Gotham Rail. Until then, she would be walking for about fifteen minutes.

_**Danger.**_

She shook her head at the thought. She had her handy dandy pepper spray with her.

She should really ask Jim for some lessons with a gun or Eddie for hand to hand combat. But for now she must rely on herself. _**And Batman… **_She smiled slightly. But then again, she can't always rely on the Dark Knight.

The sharp hiss came again, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of ear. She then heard the sound of a running engine. The twinge of ear became greater. So she started waling a little bit faster. But she could still hear and feel the obvious sound of a car following her.

_**This is just my luck. **_Why did she have to attract the mentally challenged? Why did she have to attract the dangerous ones? She stopped in her tracks and turned. She didn't know why, but she wouldn't start running. For some stupid reason, she wanted to confront. _**God, help me if I die because of this…**_

She braced herself, but a blow from impact never came. Instead, the car was beside her. It was a black car from the company that made the Jaguar. It was a wealthy man's car.

She was about to guess on who it was in her mind when the car's back window rolled down to reveal a very familiar face.

It was the richest of them all.

_**Bruce Wayne.**_

Anne didn't know whether to feel outraged or strangely pleasantly surprised. She was curious though. What was he doing out? But then again, he was the richest man in Gotham. He could practically do whatever he wanted.

A small smile was on lips as he looked at her. He looked up and down for a bit and then arched an eyebrow.

"Why do you walk; in this time of night?" he asked.

Normally, Anne would want to defend herself just out of pride. But for some reason, she didn't have the heart. And the nothingness; that emptiness wasn't inside her anymore.

_**Strange… **_She became empty because of him. And now she didn't.

"I came here by cab," she replied. "I didn't feel like paying."

Bruce's eyes shined. "It can be dangerous out here…" he paused; looking down for the moment after he spoke.

"A young woman dressed to kill alone can be dangerous… Don' you think I can care for myself?" Anne replied; finding herself smiling despite the fact.

Bruce laughed.

Anne didn't know why, but there was something in that laugh. It was a lot like an inside joke laugh, but she didn't think she'd ever be privy to his joke.

Little did she know, but it was really an inside joke laugh for Bruce knew fully well that Anne could protect herself fairly well with that pepper spray can of hers.

_You're strong Anne. _He opened the door; making her step back and moved to the other side. He held back a laugh at the look she gave him.

"C'mon in. It's late. You shouldn't be going home alone," he insisted.

Anne hesitated. She had to really think this through. Bruce had given her an invitation to get in his car. _**Okay, my choice of words. **_She knew he was just lending her a helpful hand. But she didn't know Bruce. And he didn't know her.

But – for some reason Anne knew protesting was – would be just plain useless. There was something coming off of Bruce – something that somehow made Anne feel strangely comfortable. And yet that sense of comfort was unnerving all the same.

"If I must…" she murmured as she got into the luxurious looking car, and closed the door.

Bruce smiled inwardly. He looked at Anne in all her strange ugly beauty, and nodded to Alfred to start driving. He leaned back; turning slightly and looked at her closely as Anne put on her seatbelt.

Placing the side of his palm on his cheek with his index finger alone on his upper lip and the middle finger above his chin, he said, "Safety first."

Anne tilted her head in response, and then turned to him slightly; careful not to disturb the restraint of the seatbelt.

"Self preservation comes easy to me," she quipped.

Bruce smiled; putting his hand down, and let his arm rest on the door arm rest.

"Do you want me to follow suit?" he asked with an undertone of playfulness that he rarely let out.

Anne allowed a smile in return. She tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear, and said, "Well…free will and all… I don't like giving peer pressure." She mildly surprised herself with that reply, but she didn't know why she was surprised.

Both were amazed at how freely they sort of bantered. It seemed so easy. There was no sign whatsoever of a threatening tension like the last two times they met.

"Tell Alfred where you live." Bruce instructed.

Anne looked at the very well aged white male with snow like hair that was clearly receding.

"By Metro…East Side…near Riverview…"she informed.

Alfred nodded. "Very well, Miss Vera."

Bruce smiled wider.

They both saw the Englishman smile. "Very well, indeed."

Anne was curious. It was past midnight. What did Bruce need to do so late in the night especially considering the fact that he had just had a big fundraiser.

"Last I checked, the game is over. We won." Anne started; looking closely at the man. "And that was more than two hours ago."

Bruce nodded. "No, not I'm going to a spectator sport event…something else…entirely." He couldn't let her know that he was visiting the construction the wing where Batman would go through once the manor was finally rebuilt.

"Then where are you going?" Anne asked, but not in a way to sound like she's pushing the issue.

"I've to some thing to attend to – personally." Bruce replied emphasizing on the last word "personally."

And he made sure Anne heard no tone of irritation even though he wasn't feeling it, or even close to that emotion.

Respecting the answer, Anne nodded and said, "Have you yet estimated the fundraiser's earnings?"

"Not yet." Bruce answered. "But I've made sure donations were made by everyone."

They both had flashes of his opening speech.

_"Ladies and gentlemen! I thank you all appreciatively for coming to my temporary abode to participate in this fundraiser. Now, I really do suggest for you to donate. I had invited you all on the sole purpose for helping those in the five orphanages here in Gotham. Now, I can relate to these children. As you all know, my parents were murdered in front of me when I was ten. I could have been an orphan. Maybe I was. But these children didn't and still don't have the billions to inherit. But with the help and support from all of you, these children won't just be taken into someone's home and become a part of the family, but also have the greater chance of succeeding when that doesn't happen. So, to begin the donations whether public or private – I give a million to the five orphanages."_

Little did Anne know, but Bruce knew she had been adopted. He couldn't help but find that piece of information. He went no further. He wanted to know more about her. But he couldn't go any further. If he gets more information on her it would be _from _her. He knew as much about her as she knew of him.

"What you did was a good thing." Anne told him. He looked into her green orbs and found them glistening. "I can't badmouth it."

Bruce grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should." Anne recommended with a slight grin. That similar grin on Bruce's face made him look less debonair and more down to earth. "I have a habit of criticizing – unfortunately."

"Oh, I know, but you should know that I tend to flaunt my celebrity." Bruce admitted with a fuller grin and a slight chuckle. He gave a nod, and added, "Unfortunately."

Then came a sweet sound to his ear. It was her laugh. It was low and musical. _**Beautiful. **_This made Bruce's spirits rise higher.

_**Admitting faults is a start.**_ That thought had made Anne laugh. She was amused, and felt herself feel calmer. It seemed strangely easy to converse with him now.

"I know." Anne replied. "But I'm sure you and I have a lot more inside despite our actions."

"It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you." Bruce recited from memory without a second thought.

He was surprised and could see the similar reaction from Anne' tightening jaw.

"In the end, what's underneath saves us." Anne replied; her tone suspiciously weak.

_**Or destroys us.**_ They both thought.

A deep silence fell between them.

Anne could feel herself start to shut down, but she fought desperately not to. She didn't expect to have that kind of reaction when Bruce said what he said. That's why she replied as normally as she could. _**Actions can lie. Definitions are all. **_Her actions lie – almost all the time. Maybe for him actions are real, but to her – actions are only for the ill.

Bruce immediately regretted his words. He didn't understand why Rachel's words came out of his mouth. But it was an instant thing. He knew she thought differently – no. _**My actions as Batman are real. **_He had to believe that Batman somewhat defined him. But her reply was curious – it sounded completely normal to him, but underneath he felt an undercurrent of something.

He didn't know what.

Anne turned her head from Bruce and looked out the window to the bright lights of the sleepless Uptown. She could feel Bruce staring at her. But she wouldn't look back. Her mind had already flashed to their conversation the dance floor. She closed her eyes.

Bruce marveled at the ugliness and at the beauty. It was entirely Anne's own. She was the epitome of ugly perfection. Her young face with the twinge of hard earned age. The elegant, angular, wide set cheekbones. Her fair like skin that looked like it could tan effortlessly on the single ray of the sun. And her emerald eyes which he could not see, but he could see so easily with his Mind's Eye. Those green orbs of hers were bewildering and bewitching. Everything – all her features were rough, but she was beautiful. She was the ugly perfection of a woman.

The silence lasted until they finally arrived at the Riverview building. Anne unbuckled and opened the door. She turned to him; holing the side of the door, and said, "Thank you."

Bruce smiled. He took out a card, scooted to her side of the door, and then extended his arm; holding out that card. _**Take it please.**_

Anne looked at the card with half suspicion and half curiosity. Then she looked at Bruce. _**What? **_She gave him a questioning look. She didn't understand what the card was for. It looked a little daunting for her, and strange – not a part of her visual vocabulary.

"Take it. Whenever you need help…just call me and I'll be there to lend a hand." Bruce promised.

Anne wasn't sure what to think about the promise in Bruce's voice. She still was confused and still couldn't understand just where he was heading. But the sincerity in his eyes caught her off guard. She didn't know what else she could say.

"Calling card?" Anne asked; indicating to a different context despite herself.

"Interest." Bruce replied with much confidence.

Anne paused, but decided against asking another questions. Instead, she took another chance despite the confusion. She reached out, touched the card, and then took it.

Bruce nodded in relief. "Thank you."

Anne slightly faltered at his expression. "Your welcome. Good night." She turned, hugged herself, and walked away to her building.

Bruce watched her walk away and has the door opened for her. She finally disappeared after a minute. He rolled up the window, and sighed; looking at Alfred.

"Do you have something to say?" he asked; knowing that his trusted butler had thoughts concerning Anne.

Alfred smiled and drove on towards their destination. And appreciating the silence, Bruce leaned back and closed his eyes as he unconsciously put his seatbelt on.

And Anne was the only thing in his mind as he drifted into sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Anne had nothing when she went back to her home. Her resolve was weakened. Her mind was confusingly blank. And her heart strangely empty. This was her choice – she wanted to leave all the baggage of what happened earlier in the night where it belonged: in the bin affectionately known as the garbage. She never had any particular use for confronting all her decisions nor had she any use of defending her actions. She liked to let things be, be able to move forward, and prevent what she could.

She was greeted by her loyal canine friend Shadow. He had joyful raced to her side and tenderly licked and nipped her legs. This only furthered her thought of dogs – animals being the great companion. She knew that at least with animals especially dogs one could never be judged. Dogs accept you are no matter what. Anne sometimes wished the people she loved were like that too.

Entering her room, Anne closed the shades of her sliding door. She patted Shadow on the head and walked into the walk-in closet. She quickly removed herself from the dress she was wearing as if taking off a great weight from her body. She then looked at herself in the mirror, and found herself doing something she hated to do.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She more than looked – she analyzed, and she judged. She looked at her rough features; her wide neck, and her somewhat angular face. She scrutinized her cheekbones, and her not so flat and not so pointy nose. She checked the size of her breasts knowing full well that they were 36B. She found her buttocks to be pretty big, but not big enough to cause questions on how much she ate. Her thighs were ok. She did have love handles. She had muscle – carefully hidden, but fully developed. She wondered if she was beautiful. Could she keep a man's eye on her? Was she even attractive to herself? She lastly looked into her own eyes. They were green – emerald green. That was the one feature of herself she liked. The important reason she liked her eyes was that her adoptive mother told her that her biological mother had green eyes.

She knew fully well that her body, her features, and maybe things in her mind came from her biological parents. She couldn't help but wonder what was what? Her emerald eyes were her mother's right? Her black hair – maybe it could be from her father? Maybe not. She didn't know. All she knew was that she was Romanian, Irish, and Welsh.

Shadow barked.

Anne's mind flashed to when Shadow first met Batman. It was two nights ago and Eddie wasn't home.

_Shadow barked and growled; racing towards the door. His bark was ferocious and powerful._

_Anne raced after him. Her eyes saw Batman crouched on the balcony looking at Shadow wearily. She gripped Shadow's collar and pulled him back after seeing him ready to attack. _

_"Down boy…it's okay…Down…" she whispered to the dog. _

_She kept her eyes on Batman and for some reason she saw some slight humor in his eyes as if he had been in this situation before. _

_Shadow growled, but eventually calmed down. _

_Anne pointed for him to leave, but Shadow refused. Instead, the German Shepard sat stubbornly near the sliding door and waited. She wouldn't force him to go inside. She knew better. Shadow was only trying to protect._

_"He'll get used to you," she told Batman._

_Batman didn't say anything. He remained couched, but his eyes weren't on Shadow anymore. They were on Anne._

_She took that as an answer._

Shadow barked once again, but there was no growl to follow. He raced out of the closet.

Anne quickly put on her sweat pants and night shirt. She walked to the living room and found Eddie sitting on the couch – suit and boots – watching television with Shadow lying down on his feet.

"I've got to get you a key," she said with a shake of her head.

"Already have one, darling." Eddie said. He lifted his arm up; showing a little gold key in his hand, and waved it. "Spare key where you hid it."

Anne couldn't believe it. She would have thought he'd never find it. But then something struck her. She had locked the door after she got in. She had hid the key inside her home. How the hell did Eddie get in to get the spare key?

"I picked the lock. And no – padlocked or whatever they are called…I got through them." Eddie replied to the unspoken question.

Anne opened her mouth, but she had nothing left to say. She just shook her head again. _**Unbelievable! **_She had the urge to just slap Eddie on the head, but she didn't think she'd like the retaliation that he would surely give her. So she decided to join Eddie on the couch, and looked at the television that was playing Cops.

They spent the next few minutes watching the replay of Cops. ON the tube was a policeman stopping someone.

"He's got drugs." Eddie said.

"How do you know?" Anne asked.

"Look at the way he drove – not so smooth, but not so safely. And that car is a drugee's car."

"A Ford is a drugee's car?"

"1984."

"You got a point."

And Eddie's prediction turned to be true. The man that was pulled over happened to be a drugee's car. The man was now being arrested. The drug was cocaine.

"Had fun?" Anne asked.

But she got no answer. She looked to her side and found Eddie sleeping soundly. She smiled at this and then smiled wider when she noticed that Shadow too fell asleep. So, she carefully got off the couch and tiptoed towards her bedroom.

She went out into the balcony and found Batman crouched on the balcony wall waiting for her.

His eyes were especially dark this night, but that didn't bother her. A sudden wave of sleepiness came over her at his presence and she smiled.

"Goodnight…" she said.

Then she turned and closed the sliding door; pulled the drapes-like coverings of it. And slept soundly on her bed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Batman knew that this was good. It was better for his chances for Anne to have limited time with Batman. But he would keep his promise. He would continue visiting her. But his main priority now was to make sure she knew the real him – not just the masks he wore.

"Good night Anne."

And he drifted off into the night.

**TBC**

**End-note**: I hope you enjoyed it. Now, I don't know when I'll update the next chapter because I have so many other stories to work on. But that doesn't mean that I'm not working on the next chapter. Please do review! Much appreciated it is if you do!


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